April 2021

Many people are already aware of biotechnology, whether it's retina scanning or simple fingerprint scans to access cell phones. Amazon is now launching a biometric scan to let shoppers pay for their items at Whole Foods in Seattle.

As more people get vaccinated and gather in small groups outside, outdoor party games are suddenly more important than ever. At my family reunions over the years, I've learned to play a lot of these and know they can be a lot of fun.

Drink challenges are pretty popular right now and I'm all for the fun ones where you transform a drink into something new to try it. Then there are really weird or silly challenges that don't make as much sense to me. They work as a fun gimmick for some people and that's fine. But then there are challenges like the new Coors one that I totally love.

A woman who called animal control over a croissant she mistook for a weird animal sitting in a tree for two days is all over the Internet right now, and all I can do is feel solidarity with her. The woman, who is from Krakow, Poland, called Krakow Society for the Protection of Animals when not only she but the whole neighborhood worried about the creature. 

Whether you're dehydrated like so many people who don't even realize it or just want to make sure you keep up on your fluids while you're out having a good time, it's kind of amazing how we, as humans, often fail to take care of ourselves. It's not hard in a busy world full of obligations; we may still be animals deep down, but it's very easy to ignore our needs when we have so much--and often so many others--to care for.

Some really great hydration tips I've learned recently include:

A fight isn't really a feud when one side ignores the other side, right? That's what Trey Parker and Matt Stone say about Family Guy. Their hatred of the show runs deep and stems from their lack of respect for it, but they also say they don't know anyone who works there so it's not some personal beef. They also say that Family Guy staff are paid more and don't make a peep about them in return because they're just not on their radar.

St. Louis just ran a heated race for its mayoral seat and history was made when Tishaura Jones was elected as the first Black woman to ever be mayor of the city. In a city that's 50% Black, this is long overdue, but the fact that Jones is a strong advocate for racial equity and progress is just as important.

As a teenager, my then-boyfriend and I saw a commercial for a tinnitus relief product and scoffed. Why would your ears ringing be such a big deal that you would need medicine to deal with it? Karma got me for that one. I've now had tinnitus for almost two years and I can confirm that it can drive you nearly insane. I've even read about people who take their own lives because of it. Mine is always there, and it gets louder when I'm stressed or anxious.

In our local Freecycle group I saw someone looking for a bowling ball this morning. My teen has a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ball he had custom made years ago. When you join our local leagues, you can get one at the end of the league (or a pair of shoes, a bag, etc.). It's long since been outgrown and I thought we could give it to this person, but then I figured it would be too small for an adult's needs.