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Recycling
I recycle because I have a friend who recycles. I mean, I have a friend who recycles. She carries a bag with her when she goes on walks simply so she can pick up trash. When she comes to visit, she brings me all the recyclables she can’t recycle in her own town, because my…
Self Encouragement
I was having a frazzled kind of day. Not anything in particular was going badly, I just felt somehow entirely discombobulated. You know those days where too little sleep and too many racing thoughts start taking their toll? I felt a bit as though a piece of me was going in one direction, and another…
Matchless
At some point over the course of today I came to the realization that my shirt does not match the rest of my outfit. Unfortunately, this isn’t particularly surprising. It’s certainly not the first time, although I do actually make an effort to match… sometimes. The problem is I really don’t like anything about the…
Cooking Tip #4: Beware of Frosted Cookies
My grandmother exhibited the best of Yankee wisdom. She lived out that old adage, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Nothing around her was wasted. Everything was used and re-used until it was indeed completely used up or worn out. Like so many in her generation, she had lived…
Going Through
I had a screen saver on my computer in college that rotated through inspirational quotes. I don’t recall exactly where I got it. I think my roommate received it from someplace; maybe it came with a bookstore promotion. That part doesn’t really matter. What matters is there was one particular quote that always resonated with…
Cooking Tip #3: How to Peel a Banana
You might wonder what there is to learn about peeling a banana. The answer will surprise you. Years ago, I was taught how to peel a banana by my Girl Scout leader. At the time, she was working toward her degree and would often regale us with educational insights from life after high school. She…
The RLT Principle
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). I call this verse the RLT Principle. This is not to be confused with the BLT, which is a delightful deli sandwich comprised of bacon, lettuce, and…
Cooking Tip #2: When all else fails…
This is a tip that I learned early in my cooking career. (Since things failed frequently, I had a lot of practice.) The tip is a single word that completely revolutionized my cooking habits. And if it could transform my cooking, it can most certainly do the same for you. Are you ready? The word…
Plow Forward
You may have noticed the last two articles seem a little contradictory. After all, the moral of Cooking Tip #1 is to consider your actions before you leap; the moral of Non-Newtonian Fluids is to leave the pondering to someone else. Leap out of the boat and go with gusto! So wait, aren’t those contradictory?…
Non-Newtonian Fluids
I had a friend recently introduce me to the wonderful world of non-newtonian fluids. (Stick with me here; this is cool.) Non-newtonian fluids are fluids that change their properties when presented with different forces. One classic example is a mixture of corn starch and water. Try this at home: mix 2 cups of corn starch…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.