Thanks so much, all! We used the Purdue Writing Lab site as a reference and went with MLA. I ordered this laminated quick guide to MLA Style for DD to use in the future: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1423248341?psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Title says it all. Do you have a favorite citation generator? Which citation style do you use when none is specified? (I'm thinking APA?) DD and I both thank you! 🙂

I'm so sorry. Huge hugs to you. ❤️

Also, from Common Sense Media: "Middle school characters talk about crushes and dating and kiss on the cheek and lips on a couple of occasions. Mentions of breakups and asking someone to the school dance, as well as scenes of dancing close together." Do you support making all books about kissing and dating available to only 7th grade and over?

Yes. The picture in question: And the school board voted to restrict access to this book for kids in 8th grade and lower. SMH.

We have used these for bedspreads because they are nice and heavy and soft. I look at the weight of the blanket when purchasing. Lots on Amazon--just search for "Korean mink blanket." The downside is that when you buy one big enough for a queen or king bed, they are very heavy to wash. My machine can do it, but just barely. ETA: I am tempted by Vellux blankets--similar feel but lighter.

From Judd Legum on Twitter: "Earlier this month, a mysterious woman appeared before a school board in Texas and claimed that, when she was 11, she READ A SCHOLASTIC BOOK THAT SPARKED A DEBILITATING PORN ADDICTION. We investigated. And it's ABSOLUTELY WILD what is happening." Long story short, the woman works for Brave Books (publisher of political propaganda masquerading as children's literature). She encouraged the school board to ban Scholastic books and book fairs. Her "testimony" was promoted by both Brave Books and SkyTree Book Fairs, a conservative alternative to Scholastic Book Fairs. (Unsurprisingly, the president of SkyTree Book Fairs recently worked for Brave Books as well.) Read the whole story here: https://x.com/JuddLegum/status/1729866145975418994?s=20 [ETA: This is a Twitter thread; a fuller story is available here: https://popular.info/p/mysterious-woman-tells-school-board.] Scary times.

The ONLY drawback to Corelle is their tendency to shatter into tiny slivers of "glass confetti" if they do break. Thankfully that doesn't happen very often, only once every couple years for me. I hate cleaning it up and always vow to try something different...but always end up sticking with my Corelle. I've used it my whole married life. Lightweight, easy to fit in cupboards, easy to fit in the dishwasher, easy to find replacements, nice-looking, inexpensive, non-chemical leaching. I doubt I will ever buy anything else. I had a whole set of white Fiestaware and never used it.

Hold up. Carpet in a pool locker room? That would concern me more than tall slides and merry-go-rounds, for sure.

There would have to be a way to weigh potential benefits and risks. It could be done via a mathematical formula, I think. Difficult but not impossible.

There's a video making the rounds right now about all the dangerous things Gen X kids survived: https://www.facebook.com/reel/335233145560978 I have to say, I love me some Def Leppard. 😉 However, being members of the Hive, I know all of you will recognize the fallacy in the argument, "I survived it; therefore it is safe." 🙂 Out of curiosity, I looked up some information on playground equipment history and statistics regarding injuries and fatalities on playgrounds. While doing so, I came across this on Wikipedia, under the heading of "Unintended Consequences" "As a result of what some experts say is overprotectiveness driven by a fear of lawsuits, playgrounds have been designed to be, or at least to appear, excessively safe.[23] This overprotectiveness may protect the playground owner from lawsuits, but it appears to result in a decreased sense of achievement and increased fears in children.[23] The equipment limitations result in the children receiving less value from the play time.[23] The enclosed, padded, constrained, low structures prevent the child from taking risks and developing a sense of mastery over his or her environment. Successfully taking a risk is empowering to children. For example, a child climbing to the top of a tall jungle gym feels happy about successfully managing the challenging climb to the top, and he experiences the thrill of being in a precarious, high position. By contrast, the child on a low piece of equipment, designed to reduce the incidence of injuries from falls, experiences no such thrill, sense of mastery, or accomplishment. Additionally, a lack of experience with heights as a child is associated with increased acrophobia (fear of heights) in adults.[23] The appearance of safety encourages unreasonable risk-taking in children, who might take more reasonable risks if they correctly understood that it is possible to break a bone on the soft surfaces under most modern equipment.[23][31] Finally, the playground that is designed to appear low-risk is boring, especially to older children.[23] As a result, they tend to seek out alternative play areas, which may be very unsafe.[23] Risk management is an important life skill, and risk aversion in playgrounds is unhelpful in the long term. Experts studying child development such as Tim Gill have written about the over-protective bias in provision for children, particularly with playgrounds." This rings true to me; yet at the same time there are strong arguments to be made for legislated safety in products for children. What says the Hive?

Could be a cyst. If it's not itchy or painful I'd keep an eye on it. Definitely take her in if it grows. I'd have it looked at eventually but it's likely not urgent.

It's possible that she's not neurotypical, and what she perceives as waste bothers her on a deep level. Still, she was very impolite. I agree with others that she should have phrased things more diplomatically if she really felt the need to say something. "I don't like," "I can't handle," and "I won't use" are really harsh. Allergies / intolerances are fine to mention. The best practice would be expressing appreciation and donating the unwanted gifts.

Release yourself from the feeling that it is up to you to change minds. Remember that most people will not have their minds changed by facts or debate. Relationship building is important. Love and kindness are important. Those should be the guiding motivations behind conversation, I think. And then when there is a relationship, there is opportunity to gently suggest that maybe there is more than one way to think about things. Ask open-ended questions. What do you mean by that? What makes you say that? Have a stock of polite noncommittal phrases ready to go. That's interesting. I haven't thought about it in that way. Ask about work, family, friends, travel, movies, books...there is plenty to discuss outside of politics and religion.

@Alte Veste Academy, thank you for the links to the Mini Museum shop! I was so excited to find a few things for my impossible-to-buy-for DH. 🙂

Light-up blow mold Christmas Disco Chicken

I see that L.L. Bean still sells their Double L cable sweaters. I bought one in high school and wore it for at least 15 years, I think. It stayed looking really nice all that time--no pills or fading. There's no telling if they are still the same quality, but they still look nice.

I would also avoid Deerskin for now.

Brandon Sanderson's Skyward series Carole Wilkinson's Dragon Keeper series The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (beginning with Dealing with Dragons) Dragon Slippers series Fairy Tale Reform School series Fairy Tale Matchmaker series The Princess Tales by Levine Fairy Wings series by Baker

It seems unnecessary to have a child travel for a distant relative's funeral. If the child really wanted to go for some reason, and I was going anyway, and the cost wasn't prohibitive, I wouldn't forbid it at any age. My parents never took me to ANY funerals. When I went to my first in my early 20's it was a bit of a shock. DD has been to several (starting at age 2 or 3) and I'm glad she's had the experience. At the other extreme is my mother-in-law, who grabs kids by the hand at funerals and says, "Do you want to go look at the body?" She also encourages them to touch it if they want. I appreciate what she's trying to do, kind of, but I definitely don't think kids should be pressured.

I had that happen with a spice once, although I don't remember if it was tumeric specifically. It was something yellow. 🙂 I would think it would be fine to repackage it in something other than plastic bags if it looks and smells normal. Maybe some sort of little paper bag?

Liquid Bar Keeper's Friend. Let it sit on for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing with a Scotch Brite Dobie pad. I keep it at bay in our bathtub by spraying the tub with a general purpose cleaner every single time someone uses it. I keep it out of my shower by drying the stall after every use.

Thank you, thank you!!! DD is 15 and still loves these kind of books. I see they have an adult edition, too. Perfect! 🙂

The poor spiders. They should have bridges or something for them. 😞