Dear Reader, The Governor of Massachusetts recently unveiled the state’s plan to gradually re-open in accordance with health and safety guidelines. The plan includes four phases with Phase 1 already in progress (for select business). The goal is to lift restrictions on society and reach a ‘new normal’ in a way that does not negatively... Continue Reading →
The Science of Baking
Dear Reader, When you account for all of the physical and chemical reactions, baking really is a messy sort of science. For example, when you make a cake you must mix and combine the ingredients (a physical reaction, i.e. when molecules are rearranged) and then bake everything in the oven (a chemical reaction, i.e. the... Continue Reading →
[Review] Trick Mirror
Dear Reader, Every once in a while, you start into a book not knowing what you are getting yourself into. This is precisely what happened to me when I began reading Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino. Initially, I believed this book to be an analysis on the many ways we humans indulge... Continue Reading →
[Review] The Coddling of the American Mind
Dear Reader, Every once in a while, you will pick up a book, read two sentences of the summary and think to yourself “no thanks, next!” That is how I felt when I initially encountered The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by... Continue Reading →
The Special Thing about Special Things
Dear Reader, Everyone can benefit from something to look forward to. I feel strongly about this and wrote a post about the subject a few months ago (more here). In a follow up to this post, today I write about the things that I look forward to even during the lockdown. Especially when things are... Continue Reading →
Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation
Dear Reader, Generational differences are arbitrary, yet significant cultural divides in American society. Millennials are irked when they are mistakenly criticized for their obsession with Tide Pods, while older generations are tired of hearing the youth of today chanting “OK boomer” in ageist protest. Things can get a little tense at times between the generations.... Continue Reading →
Where do we go from here?
Dear Reader, We are at a point in this pandemic when things simultaneously seem to be getting better and worse. By late-May, most American states will have begun to re-open their economies by at least a tiny degree, yet virus forecasting for the next several months does not promise smooth sailing. At this juncture, it... Continue Reading →
Have you tried the scones?
Dear Reader, Are you a fan of scones? If you are an American, you may be picturing the sweet, triangular baked goods that are often served at Starbucks or other cafes. If you are British, you may be envisioning a round, slightly-less sweet treat. Because I was running low on eggs (due to the pandemic),... Continue Reading →
Itty Bitty Accomplishments
Dear Reader, Stairs and ramps are fundamentally different. If you are traveling up an impossibly high ramp, then progress can seem slow and tedious, however, if you are traveling up a staircase you can clearly see each step as a small accomplishment. This is not the perfect metaphor for ways to view progress, but it... Continue Reading →
Masks in the Making
Dear Reader, Although the initial shock and panic that the coronavirus pandemic has brought is well behind us, social distancing and other policies are chugging along full speed ahead. The Massachusetts governor ordered everyone over the age of 2 to wear face masks in all public spaces (including outdoors) if they are unable to maintain... Continue Reading →