February 2021

Don't Know Much About Anatomy

Incomplete sex education has very real consequences for everyone. From body shaming to rape culture, consent to teen pregnancies, STDs to even failed marriages due to sexual issues can all sometimes be traced back to simple ignorance--ignorance that is legislated because schools are often limited when it comes to what they can and can't teach regarding our bodies. It's one of the worst disservices the education system does to us per the government's orders. Many think these things should be taught at home, but when the parents themselves don't even know, how can they?

Rocks Shaped Like Cookie Monster Found

Have you seen the Cookie Monster rocks yet? A geologist discovered a surprise when he opened up a volcanic rock in Brazil. When split in half, the rock formed two perfect Cookie Monster faces! He mentioned that there have been some interesting finds in terms of agates that look like a famous person or piece of artwork but this is the first time a Sesame Street character was found.

80s Cocktails

When I picture people drinking in the 80s, I always think of Three Men and a Baby! Those guys obviously had some parties before the baby came around. Of course, you could picture any 80s movie, even those that weren't made in the time period like The Wedding Singer or American Psycho, to get an idea of what kinds of drinks were being served.

Dino Butthole Discovered

A preserved dinosaur butthole has been discovered. Seriously. It's perfectly preserved, which is a unique find, and scientists are already learning so much from it. It's a cloacal vent, much like the ones modern birds use for laying eggs and defacating today, and it's so well preserved that scientists are able to see glands next to it that may have been used for mating purposes as well.

February TBR Pile

It's the time of year when I usually read a lot due to the weather, surprise time at home (ha!) and time spent waiting on my teen to get out of classes in our co-op. This year is very different and I don't have nearly as much time to read while we're online for classes and meetings more often, and it feels like there's always something to get done at home. Motivating my teen is now a full-time job as well. Even so, my book club remains active, and this month we're reading Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert.

A Valentine's Feast

Special occasions in the time of quarantine warrant special takeout in our house, but my husband picked up a roast a couple of weeks ago on a whim and now I can't stop thinking about that for Valentine's Day. A beautiful roast with blue cheese dressing, some green beans, squash and zucchini all cooked in a brown sugar glaze with an apple crisp for dessert? Oh man. Do I even want takeout now?

Great Valentine's Gifts

Do you already have a Valentine gift or two chosen for your sweetheart, child, parent, BFF, pet or yourself? Valentine's is so versatile because you can celebrate love with anyone, and it's just fun to enjoy treats with one another every now and then. So what do you plan on getting?

My teen made his girlfriend an adorable plush llama and I honestly can't beat that. I bought my husband a Deadpool funko pop, which he will love, but I'm thinking of making something, too. I normally do, but I just haven't been hit with inspiration just yet.

High Tea to Go

Like many people, I've been missing drinking in restaurants, especially when it comes to a nice cup of tea with treats. For Mother's Day last year, my family brought me home a nice high tea from one of our local tea shops and it was pretty impressive. I'm hoping for a repeat but maybe with better sandwiches, as I'm not big on fish or chicken salad.

Sweet Valentine Cocktails

Valentine's Day gets a bad rap because people hate commercialization and being reminded they are single, but honestly, don't all holidays do that? Can't we use any holiday as an excuse to have fun as a family, treat ourselves (or even our pets!) and just enjoy the day? My dad always bought us boxes of chocolates when we were kids, so that probably helped shape my view of the holiday.

Grateful Dead Teas

Love Some Tea has a collection of teas inspired by the Grateful Dead and I am here for it! The teas, which come from Thailand, are plantation-free and are not only inspired by the music but the values and lifestyle of the band, too. It's a pretty cool venture and tea is one of my favorite things in the world, so I'm very excited about this.

Best Bets for Portland Eats This Week

One of the most difficult things about getting takeout in times of quarantine, at least for my family, is narrowing it down. We limit ourselves to once or twice a week, but we want to support local businesses who need it the most while trying new flavors we will enjoy. We also try to limit our sugar, which makes it all the more challenging! It's almost like a game.

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