As someone who uses very few beauty products, I never expected to focus on them in a blog post. However, access to nail salons and habits at home have changed during the pandemic, raising questions about long-term trends. And the examination of those things also brought to light questions of health – both for people who wear nail polish and people who work in salons.
I have a love-hate relationship with the sun. On one hand, I have seasonal depression and crave sunlight, but on the other hand, I burn easily, even while taking the most careful precautions. To make matters worse, common sunscreen ingredients are harmful to humans and the ecosystem in general. I’ve been planning this post for a while, but a recent sunscreen recall moved it up in priority.
In recent weeks, there have been reports throughout western Pennsylvania about a mysterious disease killing birds. Although there is not much known at the moment, avian epidemiologists are working hard to find out more, and there are things that we can do to help protect them for now. One of those things is to remain patient with neighbors who are resistant to science.
I’m off to a terrible start with Plastic Free July, since we’ve been out to eat three days in a row. Because of COVID, there is still a lot of single-use plastic in circulation. Our collective need for single-use plastic creates a lot of waste, but it also creates a lot of demand for the component materials, one of which is natural gas.
Runners know that injuries aren’t a matter of “if,” but “when.” With proper care and caution, you can often prevent repetitive use injuries; by ignoring what your body is trying to tell you, you can create them. The fibrous knot I’ve had in my foot for eight years may not have been caused by running, but my running habits have certainly made it worse.
With age, I have come to appreciate well-made products that keep ergonomics in mind. One such product, a “kneeling chair,” showed up in an online ad. I was skeptical but did some research about its benefits and decided to try it out. My parents got me one for Christmas, and it has been a welcome part of my home office ever since.
Aphids can drain a plant of the nutrients it needs, thereby damaging or killing it, but they can also spread disease from one plant to another. Since my garden is exploding with them, I wanted to understand the best ways to get rid of them or even prevent them in the first place. But that’s easier said than done, as they have some unlikely allies.
Some of my most controversial, infamous, and still-talked-about Facebook posts of all time involve something that seems to draw opinions from even the most reserved people I know: expiration dates. Many people believe that the “sell by” or “best by” dates stamped on food are the end-all, be-all, definitive line between “safe” and “not safe” for food, and in almost every case that is not accurate.
After a long, cold, lonely winter, I was more than ready to get back out in the garden and enjoy the warmth and the flowers. With some inspiration from my friends, I made and canned syrups made from my violets and honeysuckle, and I have been drinking them in cocktails as I sit and watch the world come back to life.
The thought of me providing life advice to other people strikes me as hilarious and pointless since I have always felt so aimless myself. I will admit, though, that the circuitous path that has led me to where I am has given me some perspective and helped me find things I love, and I was honored to share that at my alma mater this spring.