Municipal Traffic Court: A Civic Variation of ‘The Price Is Right’
Reporting to my local municipal traffic court was just like being on an episode of ‘The Price Is Right.’ Because life is fun.
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Author: Nivi Engineer
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, always.” – Mahatma Gandhi (from the movie, Gandhi)
Baby Shower Planning for a Crowd
I just hosted a baby shower with 80 guests. With an hour of game time, I tried to come up with a mix of familiar and new-for-them games.
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HappilyEverBooks.com: Find Books That Lift You Up
Ever cozy up with a book, hoping for an uplifting break, only to have the story veer into darkness and pull you further into doldrums? HappilyEverBooks.com is just what you need to find books with happy endings.
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Schrodinger’s Mouse: the Story of a Mouse, a Dog, a Child, and a Not-So-Brave Mom
Forget ‘Tales of Desperaux’ and ‘A Mouse Is In My House.’ I had my own little mousey adventure the day the power went out, and thanks to a cute, brave little fictional mouse and other children’s stories, things turned out much differently than anticipated.
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Widowhood in Fiction: ‘Keeping Corner’ and ‘On Second Thought’
‘Keeping Corner’ by Kashmira Sheth is a riveting well-written call to action set 100 years ago. Curious? Keep reading.
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Epistolary Adventures: What About E-mail Epistolaries?
As letter writing has shifted to e-mail, texting, and social media, epistolaries have also changed, creating e-mail epistolaries.
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23 Ways to Have Fun With Jury Duty
I love jury duty. Even though I didn’t get called to serve on a case, I was absolutely delighted by the government-mandated retreat.
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Epistolary Adventures: What Is An Epistolary?
I love epistolary novels. Indeed, these stories written in the form of letters have always held a special place in my heart. I thought I’d share my love in this introductory guide.
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Why Asian-Americans Need to Read ‘The Hate U Give’
If you haven’t read ‘The Hate U Give’ by Angie Thomas, do it. It’s relevant, moving, and unflinchingly honest. Plus, it’s incredibly well-written. And if you’re Asian-American, you’re not excused.
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Altitude Backpack Review: Taken by the Teen
I was recently sent an Altitude backpack by Solo to review, and I’ll admit, I was excited. While I may not technically *need* another backpack, I figured, for the sake of science and readership, I would give it a try. I’m glad I did.
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Outrage Overload: Why I’ll Watch ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’
It’s tiring always trying to do the right thing. And while I won’t condone hurting others, it’s also not my place to judge everything and everyone always. So I will start by watching ‘Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ and appreciating it for the fictional escape from reality that it is.
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Dear Fans of Chief Wahoo
I’m trying to understand your point of view. Here’s what I’ve come up with.
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Chima’s ‘Stormcaster’ Causes Major Book Hangover
Cinda Williams Chima’s ‘Stormcaster’ came out last week, and though I tried to take my time reading it, cherishing every moment I spent visiting the Shattered Realms, I still seem to have overindulged and now, a week later, I am still reeling from a major book hangover.
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15th Annual Edible Book Festival In Cleveland
Books, puns, and baked goods. What’s not to love? Loganberry Books in the Larchmere neighborhood of Cleveland celebrated their 15th year of the Edible Book Festival this past weekend, and it was a delight.
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Skunk Parenting
There are plenty of popular parenting styles out there–Helicopter parent, a Tiger mom , Free-range. Somehow, none of these metaphors quite fits a parenting style that is demanding yet lazy, fair-minded and respectful, and generally harmless. For that, I would like to introduce Skunk Parenting.
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Green Ideas for Fundraising and Community Building
Tired of the usual school fundraiser? Want to build community? Consider these Green Initiatives that have worked well for my kids’ Montessori school.
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March Earworm Madness 2018
Well, if you’ve had it up to your ears in basketball, perhaps I can help. Instead of following that tournament, try your hand at this alternative contest. That’s right, it’s time for the March Earworm Madness 2018!
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‘Fantastic Beasts’: Tina Goldstein Should Be the Protagonist
As you enjoy the trailer for ‘Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald,’ Spalding University screenwriting professor Larry Brenner explains the major flaw in the first ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie. Namely, that Tina Goldstein, not Newt, is the protagonist.
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Geek Links: The ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ Trailer Is Out
The just released trailer for ‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ offers us glimpses of Hogwarts, as well as returning characters like Newt, Tina, Queenie, and Jacob. It also showcases a little of the younger Dumbledore.
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Rube Goldberg Machine Contest April 20-22, 2018 in Chicago
Creating a machine to complete a simple task in the most complex way possible? Sounds like childhood. If your kid is particularly adept at this, the 30th Anniversary of the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is coming up April 20-22, 2018 at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
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