What You Might Not Know about Thanksgiving Day (U.S.)
Take a break from your holiday preparations and soak up some fun Thanksgiving trivia. Use these to steer the dinner conversation away from politics! The pilgrims didn’t eat turkey at the first Thanksgiving. Instead, the menu consisted of duck, eel, fish, goose, lobster, venison, and oysters. Yum. They also likely ate pumpkins and cranberries, but…
Don’t feel like exercising? Try these no-workout workouts.
Maybe your job has you sitting most of the day. You know you need some exercise, but some days you just don’t feel like getting all sweaty or spending time at the gym. The good news is that you don’t always have to exerciseto burn calories or get your activity in. The idea is to leverage…
Photo Friday: National Happy Hour Day
Take time today to mark National Happy Hour Day!
Short Exercises You Can Sneak in During Your Workday
Working from home or being able to do your work behind a computer screen can seem cushy. However, there are some drawbacks to sitting for several hours a day—effortless weight gain, stiff neck and back, loss of muscle tone, and risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. You don’t need to join a gym. Incorporating a little movement…
Photo Friday: Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
In one of the caves at Hocking Hills State Park near Logan, OH, USA.
Tomorrow’s Stability Begins with Today’s Planning
Many thanks to Real Life Home for their post on one of the most life-changing transitions one can go through–parenthood! And all major transitions require a good deal of planning . . . When you become a parent, your priorities change. You no longer think about what you wear on Friday evening but how you’ll…
10 Affordable Home Improvement Project for Sellers
Here’s another excellent post from Real Life Home. Many thanks to them for sharing their wisdom with my readers. If you’ve decided to sell your home, you’ve made a huge first step. Like many significant life changes, this one involves some planning and work, mainly because you want to make sure that buyers find your home…
Photo Friday: White Sands National Park
White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, NM
Photo Friday: Carlsbad Caverns, NM
Carlsbad Caverns National Park near Carlsbad, NM
Photo Friday: Buddy Holly Center
The next time you’re in Lubbock, TX, consider visiting the Buddy Holly Center. You’ll get a thorough history of Holly’s 18-month professional career and see many pieces of memorabilia. (Keep in mind that you’re not allowed take photos inside the museum.)
Coping with COVID: Refreshing Your Home
Hello, lovely readers! It’s my pleasure to feature this guest post from Real Life Home. We’ve been living with the effects of COVID for more than 18 months now, and in many parts of the world, lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, and work-from-home advice remain the norm. If you’re spending a lot of time at home, it’s natural to want…
Photo Friday: Cuban Culture in Kentucky
La Bodeguita de Mima, one of many Cuban restaurants in Louisville, KY. To read more about Louisville’s Little Havana CLICK HERE.
Photo Friday: Louisville Slugger
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Louisville, KY
Retiree Tips for Starting a Business (and Protecting Your Finances)
I’m pleased to post another great article from Ideaspired. When you’re done reading, check out more of their inspiring advice and strategies for having an inspired work-life balance. When you’re not ready to retire but working a regular job is no longer a thrill, starting a business could be the ideal solution, especially if you want…
Photo Friday: Time for Tiki
The weekend is a great time for a tiki drink. The cute little pig is holding a Painkiller: Pussers Navy rum, Coco Lopez, pineapple, orange, nutmeg (which seals the deal) In the unicorn is a Scorpion Reef: Appleton rum, Vidal Mezcal, pineapple, lemon, orgeat, bitters, Chinese 5 spice . . . The smokey finish gives…
Photo Friday: National Road Trip Day
National Road Trip Day is the Friday before Memorial Day. This is how I like to do road trips. If you’re hitting the highway, be safe and have fun!
Healthy Sleeping for Night Shift Workers
This article first appeared at Sleep.org. The human body’s sleep-wake circadian rhythm helps us rise with the sun and fall asleep after sunset. Unfortunately, being on a shift work schedule can disrupt this system, making it hard to fall asleep on time and feel refreshed for work the next day. Approximately 25% of people in the…
Photo Friday: National Bike to Work Day
National Bike to Work Day is the third Friday in May, which is National Bike Month.
How to Stay Awake During a Boring Virtual Meeting
Virtual meetings on Zoom and other platforms are an evil necessity on some workdays. While meetings might not be the most coveted part of your job, they don’t have to rob you of your joy. Try these strategies during your next virtual meeting to stay connected . . . or at least stay awake. Don’t…
Photo Friday: Beer
The weather is heating up (slowly), and for me that means enjoying more beer. I ran across this picture the other day, and it brought me back to a trip to Germany. If you ever visit and get a chance to try Augustiner beer, do! It’s the best beer I’ve ever had. Dunkel and Helles…
The Right Way to Quit Your Job
I’m pleased to post this guest article from Ideaspired.com, a place where I get inspiration to live the kind of life I want. Today’s post has practical guidance on quitting your job and starting your own business. If this idea inspires you, read on! There’s a lot to love about a 9-to-5 job: a predictable…
Photo Friday: World Password Day
May 6 was World Password Day (the first Thursday of May). Password security should be an everyday concern. Practice these tips to keep your devices and data secure: Review old passwords and strengthen them with numerals and special characters (@#&*). Use longer passwords–more than 10 characters. Store passwords in other places besides your phone or…
Want to be more productive? Give yourself some microbreaks.
When I worked my office jobs, I looked forward to going out to lunch. But I always felt a twinge of guilt about it when some of my colleagues humble-bragged about having to eat lunch at their desks because, you know, they were, “sooooooooooo swamped.” However, taking breaks is not a sign of laziness. A North…
Working from Bed is a Bad Idea
Sleep . . sex . . sickness. These are the only three things that should take place in bed. Working is not one of them. I admit that I’ve been working from bed (WFB) for years, and I pulled many all-nighters as a student. My worst one was when I was a doctoral student. I…
What Makes You Happy
“It’s a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.” Lucille Ball Just popping in with this beautiful photo of Lucy. Her quote resonates with me as well. Have a happy Sunday.
Photo Friday: O Willa Cather!
Happy Women’s History Month! I’m paying tribute to one of my favorite authors: Willa Cather. Cather was born in Virginia in 1873, and her family moved to Nebraska when she was nine years old. She spent her formative years in Red Cloud, Nebraska. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (So did I!). Some of…
Photo Friday: National Pistachio Day
It’s National Pistachio Day! Each them as a snack or enjoy them on ice cream or dessert. Pistachios are great sources of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin B6. This tree nut reduces the risk of heart disease and provides many other health benefits.
Leaving Comments Is the Easiest Way to Promote Your Blog
I’m terrible at promoting my blog and other writing. It’s the idea of selling that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But expanding a business or increasing readership requires a certain amount of promotion. However, there’s something much more important than self-promotion, and that is to build relationships. An easy way for bloggers to do that…
Photo Friday: Ode to NASA
The Perseverance rover, NASA’s most sophisticated one to date, landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. To celebrate, I’m posting a few pics from my trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center a few years ago.
Photo Friday: Masks
Thankfully, the COVID vaccines are getting distributed, even if not as quickly as we’d like. But we’re not out of the woods yet. Stay informed. Wash your hands. Social distance. Wear your masks. It only works if everyone does it. Most important: Stay safe and be kind to each other. We all want to get…
Happy National Fun at Work Day! (a day late)
It’s National Fun at Work Day. Fight the doldrums and make it a good one!
I Stopped Spending Money On These Things, and So Should You
My personal journey toward freedom, mobility, and more fulfilling work has been transformative in many ways. For example, moving into a smaller home means having less space to heat, cool, insure, and clean. Getting rid of extra clutter reduces my worry about misplacing something or finding room for it. As I continue to downsize and…
Happy National Pie Day!
Today is National Pie Day! Enjoy it whenever you can get it.
Photo Friday: Section of the Berlin Wall
This is the longest surviving section of the Berlin Wall in central Berlin, adjacent to the Topography of Terror.
You Need to Remember This Rule: 20-20-20
I remember one time when my boyfriend and I patronized our favorite taproom. I had a very productive day writing, so I felt I deserved some “Miller Time.” When we got to the venue, we moved toward the bar to see what was on tap. I looked up at the menu board, but the words…
Photo Friday: Schloss Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen, Germany
How to Be More Interesting in Conversation
Want to be the most captivating person in the room (virtual or actual)? It doesn’t matter if you’re an outgoing butterfly or introverted wallflower. You have the smarts and charm to be interesting in conversations. Memorable and stimulating dialogue can lead to fruitful connections down the road. Awkward small talk, on the other hand, makes…
Happy Holidays!
No matter what you celebrate this season, here’s to a Holiday filled with love, health, and good cheer! See you soon!
How to Practice Minimalism without Being Annoying
Minimalism. I’m not sure how that word makes me feel. It’s true that since I’ve started purging clutter, my life has become more manageable and less stressful. But, sheesh! I want to pull my hair out when I hear someone call themselves a minimalist when they take 25 minutes to explain their perfect system for…
Photo Friday (a day late): Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Taos Pueblo, located near Taos, NM, is a living Native American community. It’s both a National Historical Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Photo Friday: Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock, near Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, is a famous landmark that westward settlers saw as they traveled the California, Mormon, and Oregon Trails. The peak probably used to be about 30 feet higher, but erosion, a lightning strike, or wind likely led to the top part breaking off.
unsettled essence 