[Can I make soap for gifts (without trip to ER)?]

If the lye is too concerning, felted soaps are fun and easy to make. We used cheap but nice-smelling bar soap from Trader Joe's and various wools that I had leftover from past projects.

[Is there not an Ebola in Dallas thread yet?]

And this is why I have absolutely no confidence in the ability of the CDC to protect us from anything:

 

http://rt.com/usa/193916-ebola-victim-dallas-family/

 

 

Susan in TX

 

RT is a Russian news channel, widely considered to be a propaganda outlet. The source of the quotes in the article is the Daily Mail, a British tabloid. I know, stopped clock, etc, but I wouldn't consider this a reliable source of information in the absence of similar reports from legit news sources.

[5:2 Support Thread]

Sometimes I think that I need to post a big sign on the fridge that says "Stop--Think" as a reminder to myself. :D

[5:2 Support Thread]

Well, my first day was more of a medium day. Oops. Today I'll be eating to hunger and avoiding eating crap. Tomorrow will be another down day. 

[5:2 Support Thread]

I will be starting this--probably tomorrow, if I can get to Costco in the morning. And I'll probably be doing 4:3, similar to the JUDDD plan, since I have about 40 lbs to lose. I'll check back tomorrow afternoon and post how I'm doing. :) 

[The Adam Wheeler fraud case - his parents?]

I went to college far from home. My mom came out once during my sophomore year when I was very ill and hospitalized for a few days, and then for my graduation. Graduation was the only time my Dad stepped foot on campus. They only knew what I told them. My brother went to school more locally, and my parents watched his sports events, but in general, he shared even less information with them than I did. I can see parents really not knowing much about what is going on, or just feeling elated that their student has finally blossomed in college, and wanting to avoid bothering them so they can study and continue to win awards and accolades.

[Dinosaur 101]

We're watching this too. It is a great course, so far.

[seasonal allergies]

Steroid nasal sprays keep me sane during allergy season. Fluticasone + Zaditor is a great combo. Be careful with Zaditor if you have dry eyes--I find that it exacerbates the dryness and I need to use eye lubricant drops more frequently.

[I love how the "old stuff" tends to last!]

I use an old black Singer sewing machine from the 1920s, and it's a tank! It sews through almost anything, and I can fix it myself if something goes wrong. We also use my dh's great grandmother's cast iron pan. It is much nicer than anything I've seen in the stores lately.

[you know you live in the PNW when:]

At our church, wool socks with birks are appropriate footwear under liturgical vestments.

 

no idea where all this crap is coming from, it won't edit out. :(

 

[dorm room lists, must haves, and leave at home items?]

What will she do with everything that doesn't fit in the suitcase when she leaves for the summer?   So much easier if the college is only a few hours drive away, so curious about what you will do or what others have done.  

 

Has anyone found an inexpensive way to ship belongings to college?   I know that Amazon and online shopping are great for new things, but wondering if there's a way to get other stuff to school without huge costs.

 

Back in the dark ages, when I was in college, out-of-state students were allowed to leave boxes in a storage area in one of the dorms. If that is not an option, I suspect that she can probably convince a friend who lives nearby to store a few boxes for the summer. 

[Favorite car/truck/tractor/train books for toddlers]

Any of the Virginia Lee Burton books--Mike Mulligan, Maybelle, Katy and the Big Snow--my boys love them. Katy and the Big Snow has a map of where she helped out, and my kids like to trace her path with their fingers or small cars.

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[Glasses Worth it w/Mild Prescription?]

Do you have any hobbies or activities that would be easier with corrected vision? I know several musicians/conductors who correct mild vision problems because it helps them read music on a stand or podium. If you are fine to drive, and don't experience eyestrain, I'd probably forgo the glasses. Another option would be to fill the prescription at a cheap online place like Zenni optical, and see if you experience any great improvements, before shelling out more money for glasses that you might not wear.

[BFSU book format?]

 

 

I actually think you should buy the cheaper Kindle version and decide if you even want to use it.  I hate to say it, but a lot of people get the book, are in love with the idea of it, and never end up using it because it is a lot of work to implement.  If science were the only subject I had to do, not a problem. 

 

 

 

LOL. That's probably a good idea. I'm trying to start the prep work early, so that I'm ready for fall. :)

[BFSU book format?]

This might be a silly question, but if you use BFSU, is it the type of book that is well-suited to kindle use? I can't help but notice that the kindle version is much less expensive than a hard copy, and while I try to use hard copies for books the kids will read, I'm considering kindle editions for myself. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thank you.

[How do you keep remotes from going missing?]

I've considered attaching a large colorful item to the remotes--kind of like bathroom passes in a middle school. Ridiculous.

[Scholastic Dollar Deals are back!]

I would love to browse this…but I keep getting error messages. Anyone else having trouble with the Scholastic site?

[Flat earth-how do you even deal with this?]

I am having trouble posting links so you will have to Google the Angkor Thom dinosaur to see it.

 

 

There was a T-Rex found with tissue in the 90s.  It seems unlikely that tissue survived millions of years, hundreds or even thousands, maybe.  Millions?  Unlikely.

 

http://www.livescience.com/41537-t-rex-soft-tissue.html

 

Here is an interesting and recent article explaining how the T. rex soft tissues may have been preserved.

[What can I bake that uses a ton of different nuts and dried fruit?]

Fruitcake made with regular dried fruit, not the weird bright red and green dyed things, is very nice. 

[Where do you find nursing bras?]

I found inexpensive new nursing bras on eBay.

[So what's so great about Coursera?]

I am in the middle of my first Coursera class, and I am loving it. The instructor is active on the discussion board, answering questions and giving suggestions for the computer-graded assignments. It is much more efficient than online courses for which I paid. The quality will of course vary by instructor, but there is nothing to lose by signing up and trying it.  :001_smile:

[Piano idiot here - what does "play by ear" mean wrt piano music]

Playing by ear is not always a natural ability. Aural learning is the norm in many folk traditions, and for most it takes practice to become proficient at this type of learning. In some circles, musicians scoff at learning by "the dots," as they refer to written music.

[If you or your kids play piano, what are your favorite pieces to play?]

The Vince Guaraldi tunes from Peanuts are fun to play. I also like Debussy's collection...I'm blanking on the name, but it includes Dr. Gradus ad Parnasum and Golliwog's Cakewalk.

[What is on your "teacher" summer reading list?]

Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics

The Iliad

The Odyssey

The Aeneid

Some Gatto, Holt, other HS books from the library

 

I will probably try to find the epic poems in audio so I don't get bogged down in the pages and pages of verse.

[sonlight core d bizarre history]

This thread is leading me down so many interesting (and time-consuming) rabbit trails...I'm going to call it "curriculum research" so I don't feel like I'm spending the whole day looking up conspiracy theories. :lol: