Random and Miscellaneous

9/8/2020 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Decluttering Summer and Getting Ready for Fall

For many of us, autumn is a beloved season. There’s just something about the crisp air, sweet smell of decaying leaves, and overabundance of corn mazes that warms our hearts. And the transition into autumn is the perfect time to clean and organize our homes. After all, who wants to settle into sweater weather in a cluttered home? There’s a world of difference between cozy and crowded. It may sound strange (since there’s quite a bit of work involved in the process), but decluttering is actually a form of self-care — and it’s a great one to engage in during times of transition. Cleaning and organizing the house almost seems purifying in a weird sort of way, and it puts your brain in the right place to handle the hustle and bustle of the … [Read more...]

11/23/2019 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

How to Prepare Your Home for the Holiday Season

The holidays are just around the corner, and while that means a lot of merry-making and fun, it’s also a time to get your home in top shape! Chances are, you’ll have guests coming over at some point. Whether you’re hosting a party, a family get-together, or you just want your home to feel “cozy” for your family, it’s important to be prepared. The weather is also a factor in holiday home preparation. You’ll want to make sure your house is safe from the elements and that your guests don’t have to worry about slipping on ice or getting stuck in the snow in your driveway. So, how can you really prep your home for the holidays? First thing’s first: Create a simple budget of your needs and wants, and stick to it. From there, you … [Read more...]

8/25/2019 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Five Tips to Make Your Family Safer

Image Source: Pixabay The modern world is full of potential dangers that can threaten your family’s safety. You can spend countless hours worrying about your loved ones being in a car accident, your kids getting into trouble through social media, or even your family’s health being threatened by risky habits. By following these five tips, you can help to keep your family safer and eliminate some of the risks that are common in today’s modern world. Stay Safe Online The internet can be a dangerous place, and you’ll want to protect your family from scams, predators, and identity theft. Start by discussing internet safety with your kids. Establish some ground rules for internet and social media use both in and out of the … [Read more...]

9/1/2018 By Brooke Faulkner Leave a Comment

Tips for Seasonal Travel with Kids/Family

Photo Source: Pixabay The warmest days may be behind us, but that just means it’s time to fall in love with the new season! Grab the kids for one last camping trip, weekend getaway or road trip this autumn and enjoy the cooler weather, fall foliage and family fun. While you’re at it, hit the road with these travel tips — because you can never have too many: Leaf Peepr App Fall foliage fans may want to check out the Leaf Peepr app. It’s a fun way to create your own foliage report by posting photos, writing comments and rating the foliage in your area. You can also see a foliage map, other people’s photos, and find current foliage rated by hundreds of other leaf peepers. Before hopping in the car and … [Read more...]

5/9/2018 By Ben Leave a Comment

Poem: The Cold War’s Last Children

I've emerged from my blogging solitude to publish an original poem: Maybe it's my version of a mid-life crisis. It's comprised of melancholy, resilient reflections on the sweep of life, metaphysical truths, and finding a place in history, from the perspective of my culture and generation. Many of the images and phrases flashed into my mind last fall during a brief quiet season in my life. I jotted a first draft. Then recently, more ideas and images came, until I decided to see it through to the finish. I don't necessarily expect anyone to enjoy or appreciate it, or make any pretense about all the underlying meanings, or to consider it much more than a carefully constructed third draft of my own focused ponderings. But if anyone else … [Read more...]

12/24/2017 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2017 Edition

For the fifth time in six years, I've decided to post the list of my 50 favorite Christmas(/Advent) songs, first assembled in 2012. The list returned for 2013, 2014 and (after a cross-state moving hiatus) in 2016. Once again, as in the last couple editions, I have linked every entry to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Most of the links are the same as before. Nonetheless, a few had to be replaced after coming off YouTube, or I just found a better or more interesting version. While three songs disappeared off the list for the first time ever (marked in Bold Italics in the list below the Top 50), this year two oldies made inaugural appearances on the Top … [Read more...]

2/18/2017 By Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

4 Habits to Make You a Safer Driver

Thanks to decades of public safety campaigns and road safety advertisements, we’re now driving on safer roads and in safer cars. As a result, road accident rates are going down. However, the figures are still too high, especially amongst younger drivers, with road collisions being the highest cause of death amongst young people in the UK. Whether you’re currently learning to drive, have just passed your driving test or have been driving your own car for a while, you can benefit from becoming a safer driver. Stick to Speed Limits Even going just a few miles per hour over the speed limit can have serious consequences in a collision. Although you might not feel that you’re going very fast at 30mph or 40mph when you’re behind the wheel, the … [Read more...]

12/24/2016 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2016 Edition

Who knew that a three-year stint could earn the power of tradition by missing a turn and crossing state lines? Yet I'm drawn back to updating the list of my 50 favorite Christmas(/Advent) songs, first posted in 2012. The list returned for 2013 and 2014 -- with changes and additions each time. It's back again, with a couple newcomers (including one thanks to my friend Jerry) and a little rearranging of the Top 10. The previous 2014 ranking for each entry follows in parentheses. Last time, I linked every entry to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Most of the same links reappear on this version, though some have changed. If you want to know the reason … [Read more...]

3/5/2015 By Ben Leave a Comment

Homeowner, Insulate Thyself

We've just come through one of Colorado's uncommon extended cold, gray, snowy spells. That beautiful sunshine poked through, then poured out, this morning. Temperatures rose above freezing, and with it my spirits rose. Sustained cold is not my friend. Being able to come inside to warmth -- efficient warmth that doesn't drain the pocketbook -- is not something to be taken for granted. Good insulation is the answer. Not only for the cold times, to save your heating bills. But also when the warm days come, and the rodents, spiders, and box elder bugs look to make themselves unwelcome visitors. But if you're going to do it, do it right. Do your research and get informed. Even if you live in Colorado, like I do, the value of a well … [Read more...]

12/20/2014 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2014 Edition

Two years ago I finally put together and posted the list of my 50 favorite Christmas (/Advent) songs. The list returned for 2013 -- with some changes and a couple additions. It's back again, with two more newcomers and some Top 10 adjustments. Last year's ranking is in parentheses, with additional explanation provided in only a few cases. For the first time, each and every entry is linked to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Why this exercise -- beyond the all-too-human appeal of listmaking? The background explanation from the original 2012 post:...Coming up with the top 50 songs wasn't terribly difficult. I've identified roughly 375 different … [Read more...]