May 2021
Geiger Readings for May 15, 2021
Ambient office = 92 nanosieverts per hour
Ambient outside = 102 nanosieverts per hour
Soil exposed to rain water = 05 nanosieverts per hour
Cats Found in Bird's Nest
The story is a bittersweet one: a dead kitten was found in a yard in the UK, prompting a cat rescue to go searching for the rest of its litter. While a mama cat was discovered, no litter could be seen--until said mama climbed a tree and led them to her litter inside a bird's nest!
Back to Game Night?
Now that many of us (though not yet enough of us!) are vaccinated, who is planning on returning to the standard game night? My family and I definitely miss ours, but one close family member who is refusing to get vaccinated is giving me pause. It's not enough on its own; it's also that this person is so risky to be around, having over a dozen Covid-19 tests less than a year. You can see why we might be hesitant, and why it's causing conflict between us.
Cute 80s Emo Boys
Charlie Sexton's "Beat's So Lonely" has been on repeat on my Spotify app for over a week now. As a Xennial you'd think I would have already known this song, but somehow I had never seen Some Kind of Wonderful until quarantine. While I wasn't a big fan of the movie--I could've totally done without Eric Stoltz and rooted for the young women to get together while fully knowing it was a lost cause (remake?)--I fell for the song hard.
Free Outdoor Dining Permits Extended to 2022
While some venues in the Midwest are opening up to full capacity and completely getting rid of all social distancing guidelines, Seattle is still trying to promote health in many ways during the pandemic. For starters, restaurants are still able to have free outdoor dining permits not only through this year and next, but into May of 2022. That will help with social distancing and customers who want to dine out but remain distanced for safety.
Family Guy Approaches Season 20
Did anyone really wonder if Family Guy would be renewed for another season or not? It's still raking in the good reviews and viewers, so most people probably won't be surprised by the news. But how did other Fox shows fare when it came to contract renewal time?
Dead & Company Tour Dates Announced
While many bands are postponing their shows for the year, Dead & Company are set for a tour from summer well into the fall months. There are a few shows in May but the majority will be happening from August through Halloween, and a couple of shows are already scheduled for next year.
JoAnn Features New Craft Kits For Kids
JoAnn stores have new Kids POP! craft kits that were created to "ignite kids' imaginations" just in time for summer.
"Pommes Frites And Mayonnaise"
When I lived in Spain, I fell in love with pommes frites served with mayo and ketchup, which sounds really weird to many people. It's quite good! So when I read the title for Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward's poem, I had to wonder if he'd found culinary love in the same way.
Limb Regeneration And Frogs
Axolotls are some of my favorite creatures. The pink ones especially look like magical creatures from a faraway land rather than something we find on Earth. They seem so similar to frogs, especially when they go through their metamorphosis at a young age. The thing is, they are also quite different, especially in terms of regeneration. While the axolotl can regenerate lost limbs, frogs sadly cannot.
Commune Women’s Health & Happiness Summit
Have you heard of Commune's Women's Health & Happiness Summit? We're already on day three but you can sign up here to learn more and get the daily class links. The Summit is all about self-care and I'm already learning so much! During the first day, we learned all about a special type of self-massage as well as affirmations, lessons to change limiting beliefs and even a yoga session.
Fortune Cookie Soap Offers Whatever Wednesday
Many independent businesses rely on the demand for their limited products, which often sell out in moments. Fortune Cookie Soap is one such business, but they also offer their customers random pre-order events without limits to allow them to stock up. This month they held a poll in their customer VIP group on Facebook to see what they'd be interested in buying, and currently they are holding a "Whatever Wednesday" sale featuring Pirates of the Caribbean-themed body care products.
Edible Hedges Galore!
A couple of weeks ago we discussed dwarf fruit trees and I went to go pick some out... only to chicken out! I've planted some blackberry and raspberry bushes before only to kill them, so I want to make sure I know exactly what I am doing this time. It's been years and while I know most of the mistakes I made, I also want to be sure before I buy any berry bushes this time around.
Antiracist Reading
Every week there is a new antiracist book out and I just want to devour them all. My family and I have been learning so much through our reading, classes and podcasts. Even though we've considered ourselves as allies for years, there is always so much more to learn, unpack and decolonize. There always will be. If you're open to staying curious, making mistakes and taking actual action in your community, you can definitely do this very necessary work.
Best Drink Makers On TikTok
Drink makers on TikTok are absolutely inspiring. So many of them have a unique aesthetic and watching them make drinks can be downright soothing. Quincy's Tavern, for example, is a wonderful place to unwind while he serves food and drink (and some RPG wisdom). There are TikTokers who are also witches and create drinks meant to give additional benefits. There are drink makers who specialize in tea or coffee, and drink makers who use really unique ingredients, ice cubes or glassware.
Best Grocery Store Finds This Week
During quarantine, I didn't venture into the grocery store very often. Now that I'm fully vaccinated I still don't go as often as I did pre-Covid, but I've gone early in the morning a couple of times and been surprised at all of the cool things I've found that weren't there pre-Covid. I had no idea there were so many new sugar-free ice creams, or drink flavors, or even new chip varieties!
Tell Pepsi That Voter Suppression Isn't Good Drinking
Finding things that are good to drink and sharing them is what we are all about here, but sometimes we find a drink that's terrible for all of us. This spring, over 300 voter suppression bills have been proposed, some of them passing and further disenfranchising voters who are already vulnerable, and there are drink sellers providing the funds to make this happen.
Typing Via Imagination
Scientific findings that seem similar to the fictional science of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind make me so uncomfortable. The idea of accessing one's unconscious mind rings of 1984 to me so much. But sometimes this technology has the potential to be life-saving, such as in this case where a man has been able to type by using his imagination.
The Strangest Fossil Finds
It always humbles me when I picture the land we live on millions of years ago. When I dig up earth to plant anything, I have to get through so much clay because where I live, it was all under water. That's why we have so many cool water fossils and no dinosaurs here. It's also why when you do find out about any cool fossil findings it seems so magical.