7 Quick Takes about Bedsheet Drama, One Allergist's Opinion, and the Great Seasonal Changeover

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1— For the past several years, people who come to visit us have been kind enough to sleep on a mattress on the floor in our partially finished basement, which is basically one step up from couchsurfing in college. But I'm pleased to announce that we now have a fully functional guest bed!We...

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7 Quick Takes about Keeping Our Mouths Shut, Counting to 1,800 Every Day, and Inspirational Art

This post contains my affiliate link, which means if you buy anything through it I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?  —1— There's a gorgeous hike a few hours from us, and I just found out that it's also a beautiful place to go in the winter.I actually like it more because there...

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7 Quick Takes about Jane Austen, Aiming for Sixth Place, and Buying Cereal in Bulk

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1— I overheard a conversation between my kids in the backseat of the car."The forest near our house used to seem so big," the 10-year-old said, "but now that I'm older I realize it's really small!"The 8-year-old said "That's because you've become—"I thought he was going to say 'older,' 'wiser,'...

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7 Quick Takes about Answering Philosophical Questions, and Digitizing the Past One Page at a Time

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1— My high schooler was supposed to pick up his sister from middle school, but he forgot. When I finally arrived home and realized she wasn't there and went to go pick her up myself, she wasn't too happy.He apologized for not coming to get her (apparently he'd set an alarm on his watch but...

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7 Quick Takes about Getting Personal with AI, Heartfelt Poetry, and Mario Lopez and the Demise of a Generation

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1— Lately, I've been using ChatGPT to help me write texts and emails where I need to word things delicately but I don't know exactly how to say it. So I'll explain the situation and AI usually gives me a pretty good first draft to work with.Now I know it's not rude to walk away from a robot...

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7 Quick Takes about Sledding Dangerously, Books That I Probably Won't Miss Not Reading, and the Plus Side of Slippery Driveways

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1—One day I decided to take the kids sledding, and after much discussion we settled on a local hill nearby. Two of the kids wanted to go to a bigger, better hill that was farther away, but I explained that it had been melting and freezing a lot, and the big hill might be too icy.“Besides,...

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7 Quick Takes about Valentine Donuts, Reality Shows, and Pillows to Use When You're Feeling Melancholy

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week? —1— My 13-year-old got the idea to make donuts the other day, and decided to decorate them in Valentine's Day colors and give them out at school. I like how she clearly anticipated the "but I only had one" defense when writing this note.She may have been partially inspired by a baking...

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