Blogs Outside Alaska

Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing.   For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here.   For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...

Our students spent the summer working on the inaugural project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children ave been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized.   Here are...

I just finished reading Chris Arnade's Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America.There's so much that's impressive about this book. The four-year, zigzagging cross-country journey that undergirds it. The beautiful, moving photographs. The originality and insights, including the abandonment of the sclerotic and increasingly propagandistic left/right framework in favor of "front row/back row."But for me, […]

Recently Amazon Publishing posted a video we did about writing during the pandemic (embedded below). It was a lot of fun and people seem to be enjoying it, which makes me happy.During the intro, I had discussed and displayed a few weapons some of my characters have used, but that part got cut from the finished product. So […]

Humans beings once crowded men, women and children, including newborns, into gas chambers by the hundreds and killed them. Again and again and again. That is a fact. It happened. Those humans who did that were not from another species or a breed apart. Human history is full of people who have done, and are […]

Today's selection -- from Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier's First Gunfighter by Tom Clavin. In the 1870s, Buffalo Bill Cody had opened a new play called Scouts of the Plains to take advantage of Easterners' fascination with the exploits of the frontier. One of the characters in the play was Wild […]

Today's selection -- from Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) invents wireless communication: "The idea arrived in the most prosaic of ways. In the summer of 1894, when [Marconi] was twenty years old ... he happened to acquire a copy of a journal called Il Nuovo Cimento, in which he read an obituary of Heinrich Hertz [the discoverer […]

What does your silhouette look like?

Does blogging make you feel guilty or stress you out? This is how I changed the way I blogged so that I could stop worrying about feeling guilty or getting stressed out about blogging.

    it is highly likey that someone lost control of their remote control.  i can only imagine the story.      — “why do you press harder on a remote-control when you know the battery’s dead?” -steven wright

I have really bad allergies this time of year.  It’s usually a raspy cough and trouble breathing, which makes people think cold or pneumonia.  At least that’s how it used to go before 2020.  Now, I have strangers looking at … Continue reading →

Welcome to the first of the author updates with recent reviews for authors on the shelves of the Cafe and Bookstore. The first author today is Cathy Cade for her short story collection Witch Way and other Ambiguous Stories. About … Continue reading →

I’ve always been a homebody, but after having no choice but to stay at home, I’ve learned that I miss being able to come and go as I please – go being the operative word. I’ve learned to order groceries online and pick them up. What are all those people doing in Walmart? The parking […]

With spectacular visual images, this film reminds us of the necessity of connecting with the sacred in everyday life. It honors the sacred through sensory feelings of connection, with both the vast expanses such as mountain tops and waterfalls, and with the single dandelion sending its seeds into the future. This connection is further enhanced […]

Another list featuring things to do during stay-at-home time? I don't blame you if you're rolling your eyes. But, after doing some research, I've found that a lot of these curated lists rely heavily on two things: having someone else in your home with you and having the money to purchase all kinds of stuff […]

Fortunately, two quite separate issues. Farmer G decided a couple of days ago that the portents were good for a … More

Do you meditate? Despite my best intentions, I never make the time to do so.My daughter does, and I often joke that I try, but I fall asleep every time.I have as much stress, or maybe more, than most people so I decided to make an effort and try guided meditation. YouTube has some good […]

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we receive a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you. Quite often, we even negotiated a special discount only available to Friends of SassyZenGirl, so win-win for everybody 😎.  We use all these […]

Today’s lead image taken with a flash about sixty years ago is a view of a porte-cochère in front of a hotel lobby at an unknown location, although there are enough clues in the image to home in on the area where the photo was shot. Share with us what you find of interest in...

Today’s featured image contains either a Douglas DC-2 or a DC-3 taking off or coming in for a landing at the Hoover Field located in Arlington, VA. While the airfield was in operation (1925 to ’41,) it was considered to be one of the most dangerous flying fields in the country. Military Rd., visible in...

"Jacqueline Cochran was looking for WASP.  They told me I would have to be interviewed and they would contact me when they came to the Wichita area.  But I didn’t wait for that.  I went down to Houston for my interview, to speed things up.  And I think that’s one of the smartest things I […]

"My first flight was with a barnstormer at the age of five.  I loved it!  I also tried to 'fly' out of the barn loft with an umbrella.  This was less than successful..."  WASP Jean Terrell McCreery, 44-10 The indomitable Marguerite Jean Terrell Moreo McCreery has "...slipped the surly bonds of Earth. And danced the skies on […]

Progressive Rock Through the AgesBy: Stewart BrennanProgressive Rock is one of several experimental genres that evolved out of Rock n Roll in mid 1960’s. It was a purely creative genre that carried at its initial core, reflections of morality, philosophies, political views and the social economic conditions of the times.The genre had a wide range […]

Money, or the lack of it, can ruin your life. Sometimes, our financial future is within our control. Eating out less, skipping the fancy coffee on your way to work every day, and comparing service plans, like car insurance, can ensure you aren’t spending more money than you should. The trouble is, a cup of […]

Travel Makeup Bag Comparison habe ROWNYEON HaloVa Relavel Rownyeon Pro MelodySusie Ac.y.c Mossio B & C Chomeiu Material Nylon OxfordFabric Nylon Oxford Fabric PU...

Signs of Spring For more Wordless Wednesday, Click here.

Question from Kendall I have received a pair of eyeglass frames from Warby Parker (try at home option). I have multiple chemical sensitivities and can detect some kind of sanitizer/antibacterial residue on them–I imagine as a covid precaution. Do you have any recommendations for removing the sanitizer residue–I can smell and taste it.   Lisa’s […]

Question from Jesse Curious if you could post thoughts on non toxic Coronavirus related home cleaning. Specifically, I’ve read conflicting reports about in home UVC air sanitizers and wands (particularly if they are safe to use around people, pets, kids). Lisa’s Answer   The concerns around the technology is that they can cause harm to […]

A new study has discovered that bumblebees actually bite plants to induce flowering so they can get to the business of pollinating. “In a sense, the bees are signaling, Hey, we need food. Please speed up your flowering, and we’ll pollinate you.” It’s an incredible discovery. Bees can actually force plants to flower up to […]

My pineapples are finally popping! Woohoo–what a great day to be a gardener! Not only have they sprouted, but look at these beauties. Beautifully formed to plump perfection beckoning my palate with their promise of juicy fruit. Remember when they were just tops in the ground? I posted this photo (shown below) back in July […]

This extra gentle herbal soap features skin soothing chickweed and shea butter. It’s coconut-oil free which makes it perfect for those who are allergic or extra-sensitive to coconut. Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a nourishing spring time weed that’s used in skin care products especially for itchy skin conditions and eczema. Since I have an abundance […]