https://tsort.info/ Maybe helpful?

My rising 11th grader worked through The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry last year. It explores different meter, rhyme, and poetry forms with writing exercises in each chapter. The book is engaging and the "rules" for the exercises are pretty clear and structured -- good for left-brained types, like my kid. He generated quite a variety of poems by the end. Side note: Some of the content delves into sexual matters in a pretty vulgar way. I had to edit that out.

I know the Underground Railroad wasn't an actual railroad, but how about using trains/track symbolically somehow? Laying track along a timeline and the trains labeled or covered with pictures, to be your building or some other representation? Maybe a lift-the-flap with info underneath at each stop. This could also be used to show the steps in restoration, or the route your building is on with other landmarks, etc. If you have the budget for it, kids love the wooden trains/track.

So, speaking of beautiful... can I also share this one that I've been listening to lately?

Thank you, it was lovely. I have "The Mission" score, too. I hope you are familiar with this one (also nice for Lent):

Our first daffodil of 2023 flowered a few days ago (zone 6a/6b border). We have a spot that must be sheltered and warm because I never see another spring flower in our neighborhood before that little patch of daffodils. I feel this odd sense of pride about it. The rest of the family does not share my excitement and has had to endure the annual "hey, come look at this!" once again. My good news today is that I tried on two very-cute and two pretty-cute skirts that fit me and they were each $6. Haven't told dh yet... He won't care, but I feel guilty about spending money on myself. Skirts are a definite weakness of mine. I can pass up shoes, jewelry, dresses... not skirts.

If you want to check wind patterns since Feb. 3 and see if the plume may have headed your way, you can use the model at Ventusky.com.

Beetlejuice or Batman (1989) have creepy parts. My other suggestion is to binge watch early X-files seasons.

No advice, but I have read on its forums for years now that reaching a human at Etsy can be well-nigh impossible. Email is probably your best shot.

https://insidemedicine.substack.com/p/fun-with-openai-medical-charting

I read this article a couple of days ago and it has me really concerned. https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/faustfiles/102723 Are we going to trust that humans will check citations to make sure they are real and not fake? If one is propagated enough through paper after paper, Google Scholar, etc. without being caught, might it (and whatever "research" it supposedly represents) become implicitly accepted?

Shel Silverstein poetry collections. It's even more fun to hear him read them. Or Jack Prelutsky. Wayside School books by Louis Sachar -- funny and absurd, but some of the humor is dark. I suppose that goes for my first suggestions, too... it's the kind of humor we like in our household!

I looked into it some more, and it looks like Swarovski craft crystals/rhinestones are not sold much anymore since the company underwent some restructuring in 2021... but there is an alternative: Preciosa Maxima which are labeled as lead-free, seem easily available, and perhaps are a bit cheaper than Swarovski.

If you craft, I know Swarovski crystals post-2012 are very low lead crystals (looked it up, 0.009% lead. Used to be 30%!).

https://www.trotters.com/product/Willow https://www.zappos.com/p/lifestride-rozz-dark-brown/product/9033536/color/325 https://www.zappos.com/p/dansko-callista-tan-milled-burnished/product/9741852/color/948186

They had a similar section at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago -- I remember having to be coaxed away from there when I was little. What do you think happened to the chicks afterward? To the OP, the same museum has hand-cranked varieties of gear mechanisms that were endlessly fascinating to me (watch a video). Practically, I'd just ask for a good amount of seating for adults. In a few places we've been to, it seemed like there were a million tiny chairs for kids and nowhere for adults to sit (especially challenging when grandparents were along).

Meralgia paresthetica? A while ago, I had a grapefruit-size patch of outer thigh numbness that I just noticed one day, and it eventually went away over a period of weeks. I had no pain and no idea what caused it. (disclaimer: I have constant idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, but this was different.)

The problem with fleece lined tights is that I've found that they are (always? mostly?) synthetic. I am also an always-cold person who tries to avoid polyester/acrylic but stubbornly continues to wear skirts and dresses in winter. When it's a formal occasion, I avoid most dress-tights because they are too uncomfortable in the waist, and leggings with better waistbands are too casual. I'll go with thigh highs that are thicker in a pretty knit pattern, along with Jobst "It Stays" adhesive to keep them from rolling down. They look great with flats. Sock Dreams, for instance, has a lot of options and you can sort by fabric content https://www.sockdreams.com/

Stress eating for me means binging very quickly before my stomach signals that it is too full. The trick is to slow down. Oddly enough, sipping plain hot water helps with anxiety. It has to be hot enough to force me to take small sips. Sucking on frozen cubes of cheese or salami (would frozen blueberries work for you?) also slows me down and keeps me calmer. When it's really bad, I'll consciously wait 20-30 seconds before eating another bite. I also agree with pickle slices.

Ds18 and Ds15. I'm really proud of Ds15 because he made most of Batman from eva foam. Joker's mask was handmade, too.

Spencer, I loved watching your video. You've put a lot of effort into practicing, and it shows. Most of the hard work is done -- congratulations! Keep pressing on with those little improvements that can seem insignificant, but are the key to taking your performance to the next level. I know you're going to be amazing at the Sonata Festival!

Mr. Tumnus is absolutely adorable. That little sketch has come to life!

My parents would drive long distances to see relatives regularly. As a little girl, I wanted the drive to last as long as possible (both going and coming home). When we'd get into a traffic jam or heavy road construction, joy and anticipation would well up inside. I remember being mostly asleep, lying down on the back seat, and half-consciously smiling as we hit "warning" rumble strips and the car decelerated. (This was in the mid 80's when seat belts were more of a recommendation.) If it lasted an hour, bliss! To this day, crawling along in traffic congestion on the highway still makes me weirdly happy... ...unless my poor aged bladder has something to say about it...

Hmm, I wish that amount could be pinned down a little more. A spinach salad is easily 2 cups. Maybe I'll just have it 2-3 times a week? Makes me sad, though. 🙁 Sometimes it seems like all the foods are out to kill us...

So what is considered moderation for greens like spinach and swiss chard? I've been eating one or both every day for months, and I guess I should cut back. No history of kidney stones for me, but my mom had them once. (Of course, swiss chard is the only leafy green that grows vigorously and mostly pest-free in my garden!)