The first lighthouse was built more than 2,000 years ago, but in recent years, the iconic structures have started to lose their shine—or at least since ships started using GPS to avoid crashing into rocks or running aground on the shoreline. However, unlike pay phones, we’ve decided to keep some of these beacons of an…
Lines at the airport are expected to be long this summer, and prices high. If you plan to travel internationally but haven’t heard of Mobile Passport Control (MPC), it’s something you should consider. Despite having been around for some years, the program was recently revamped with a new name and app, and it helps you…
When the lights go out in a blackout, or we find ourselves far away from normal power sources, our phone’s remaining charge suddenly becomes the most important thing in our lives. If you’ve thought ahead and you have a battery pack, solar charger, or power station charged up and ready to go, you don’t have a huge…
Now that it’s unofficially summer, you’re probably wondering which cute, sassy wine drink will finally topple frosé from its throne. Although this frosty beverage requires a little more of a trust-fall, it delivers on all of the summer drink prerequisites– it’s pretty, it’s cold, and it tastes great. Get your…
We all know that feeling: You found a company or an opportunity you were really excited about, spent lots of time preparing, maybe even met the team, only to receive that “we regret to inform you” email breaking the news that you won’t be moving forward. It always stings, but it can sting even more when it was a…
With inflation still high the chances of that changing significantly any time soon rather low, you might be wondering if now is a good time to tackle any home renovation projects at all. Even under relatively calm economic conditions, it can be a challenge to choose the right renovation project and make sure you get…
We all know owning a home is an investment, and that means that any renovations we do will have an impact. Whether you’re planning to sell your house soon or just want to keep track of what you’ve put into the place, it pays to think about your return on investment (ROI) on home renovations—especially because not all…
A child’s bedroom isn’t supposed to be scary, but sometimes a weird sound or unusual shadow can make a young one’s imagination run wild, leading to lost sleep, anxiety, and nightmares. It can also mean a rough night for yourself if their cries for help wake you up or require you to make room in your own bed when…
One of the best things about macOS is the sheer number of high-quality apps. From remapping keys to easily controlling external monitors, there are great apps for almost everything you can think of. While many of us know about the big players on the market, there are plenty of lesser-known apps that deserve your…
A pitcher of lemonade can serve a sweltering summer party, but a party of one deserves refreshment just as much as a crowd. As long as you have a single lemon, you can make a frosty glass of lemonade. You don’t even have to peel the lemon.
It’s graduation season, which means that along with asking grads the dreaded question (“So, what’s next?”), it’s also the time of year when people dole out unsolicited and outdated—or at least largely unrealistic—career advice.
Bulbs come in many varieties and will sprout without much work, making them an excellent feature for your yard or garden. You can also find bulbs that will bloom at various times throughout the growing season, adding splash of color from spring through fall. Why not add a bit of whimsy to home and feed bees at the…
Carrying a reusable water bottle is good for both you and the environment. But without regular cleaning, it may not be as helpful and healthy as you think, as bacteria and mold can easily make themselves at home.
It’s not weird to have leftover chili. Between the time commitment, ingredient list, and cook time, I usually make a double or triple batch and eat throughout the rest of the week. Unfortunately, every time I meal prep like this, I become tired of the repetition by midweek, which is why I often need to get creative.…
In a landscape of dwindling storefronts, it’s becoming increasingly hard to find specialty items, and sometimes even average products, in person. It’s rare that I even come across a rolling pin for sale. When I need a new kitchen gadget or piece of dishware, the first place I turn to is the internet. And I hate it. I…
If something needs to be scrubbed, then by all means, do it the thorough way. But some things are just fine being blasted with a hose, saving you time and energy. Here are some things you can simply haul outside to douse with water.
Along with the weather, commenting on how it seems like it’s taking longer for a piece of mail to arrive at its destination is another small talk standby. And while there’s not much you can do about these delays, you can now find out if delivery in your area is really is as slow as it seems.
While spacious kitchens have become a status symbol of sorts, that hasn’t always been the case. So if you live in an older home that hasn’t been updated, your kitchen may be smaller than you’d like, and lack the storage space you need. Or does it?
Summer’s almost here, which means rising temperatures, and with them, a constant craving for cool, refreshing beverages. And thanks to a current offer from Panera, you can get two months of free drinks this summer. Here’s what to know.
Your parents are right: They don’t make appliances built to last anymore. So when your washing machine breaks down, or it becomes clear that it’s starting to fail, you’re faced with a decision: Should you pay to have it repaired, or buy a new one? Here’s what to know.
Are you stuck at home this weekend, while your friends and family are enjoying themselves out of town? Not to worry: You didn’t miss your chance at summer travel. In fact, you can get airfare as low as $59 one-way during S0uthwest’s current sale. Here’s what to know.
We like to dismantle our food here at Skillet. That includes taking pigs out of blankets and deconstructing cheeseballs. In the spirit of deconstruction, I’ve taken apart the egg roll. It turns out, separating the filling from the shell is an excellent way to get the flavors and textures of this appetizer without any …
When it comes to video games, good gameplay is the primary marker of quality. But for both developers and gamers alike, graphics are a close second. Modern games are capable of astonishing visual fidelity thanks to the latest consoles and graphics cards, and many players seek out titles that push their PlayStation 5,…
“Undo Send” is a godsend. Everyone knows you only catch the most egregious typos and remember the most important attachments immediately after you hit send on an email, so having a button that cancels your outgoing message before it hits someone else’s inbox is essential. But if you’re using your email app as-is, you…
A trifle is the hot-mess-best-friend of desserts. It would be all over the place if it wasn’t for the giant bowl holding it together, but the good qualities outweigh the chaos. You can dress it up with with refined cake cubes, jam, and custard, but I say we let trifles be the trashy dessert of our dreams. Embrace…
People think we’ve got the market cornered on houselessness here in Portland, Ore., but traveling across Idaho, Utah, and Arizona this winter helped confirm that this is not a uniquely West Coast Thing; it’s endemic. Houseless folks make people anxious, which explains how housed people often react. They made me…
Sometimes, when a new food comes along, I have a jaded reaction. Especially when it’s a viral cookie recipe, which is sometimes too mediocre to warrant the hype, if I’m keeping it honest. Popular cookies sometimes crumble, and another take on a chocolate chip isn’t gonna fly in this expensive egg economy. It’s no…
The culinary world has no shortage of jargon, and occasionally it feels like an entirely different language. While I enjoy picking up a bit of French or Javanese, learning the meaning behind the name of a recipe or technique can improve your cooking. By improve, I also mean improvise. When you learn some of the basics…
Wintoys is a must-have Windows app that makes it easy to find the most useful tools on your PC. From clearing junk files and speeding up your computer, to helping you restart the graphics driver or even repair corrupted thumbnails, Wintoys makes many of these previously hidden features easily accessible...and it’s…
Headlines about fentanyl are shocking. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. increased 58% between 2019 and 2021 at least partly due to the influx of this super-charged synthetic narcotic into the nation’s illicit drug supply. As little as two milligrams of fentanyl can cause an overdose, an amount of powder that could fit…
“Oh, the ADHD special,” the Starbucks barista commented, and I swiveled to see who she was talking to. I’d heard the order, too. Chai latte with two scoops of matcha powder. I raised an eyebrow, because now I’d heard it in two places: people treating ADHD with green tea matcha. The first person had been my therapist,…
Well folks, we’ve had a good run. Netflix has officially ended free password sharing in the U.S. If you have a Netflix account, you might have received an email confirming as much. If you borrow someone else’s account, you may have already been blocked from watching. People are pissed, with some cancelling their…
I buy my ducks from the Asian market down the street. Not only is it the most economical choice, but it’s the most fun option. These ducks come with the head and neck attached, and the neck is a treat.
Boxed muffin mixes are convenient for baking up a dozen hand-held quick breads, but that’s not all they can do. The pre-packaged mixture contains flour, sugar, flavorings, and a leavening agent, ingredients that are consistent with a number of other cake-like desserts. In fact, with a couple of simple adjustments, you…
Sometimes your child gets into a situation that requires them to “repair” or, even sometimes, “repent.” Often you will be the one to dole out these consequences. However, once your child is in school, there may come a time when they “get in trouble” and you get that dreaded call from the office or a teacher. What if…
So you’ve always wanted to live at the beach, whether as a permanent resident or for frequent access to a vacation home. According to data from Realtor.com, you may be able to get your wish without spending a fortune if you can snag a home in one of the most affordable beach towns in the U.S.
When I first started this series, I set out to waffle strange and unusual things that had yet to be waffled. I skipped over the waffled grilled cheese because it seemed too obvious, but it is a top tier waffled delight. If you want to make it more of a meal, you can add a little meat, but you should waffle that meat…
You may have never heard of “cognitive restructuring,” but it’s a real way to adjust your thoughts, make them more positive, and be more productive. Though it’s usually something you go over in therapy, you can still be mindful of it in your real, day-to-day life and reap its benefits.
If you have a dark corner or a gloomy hall, chances are you’ve considered adding a sconce light fixture. But hiring an electrician to run wire to your fixture can be pricey, especially if it’s just for one light. The advent of battery powered LED fixtures has made the need for wiring a light in the closet or over a…
JSX is a public charter operator that can be a great alternative to the conventional business or first-class traveler. If you’re the kind of person who likes to splurge on flights every once in a while, you can use them to fly with free drinks, with a maximum of 30 people per flight and a 20-minute turnover from…
I’m not wild about our current pop culture obsession with nostalgia, in part because we seem be reaching a point where a dearth of original cinematic fare is going to leave the nostalgia miners of the future with nothing to work with.
There are some good options for people who want to avoid the long lines of TSA at the airport, including TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and Clear. But there’s another lesser-known way to ensure you get a smoother transition through TSA, and it’s free: Reserve by Clear. Not everyone can afford the time and money it takes…
Fresh-cut flowers can be a lovely addition to your home decor, but they can also be hard to justify buying when they don’t last more than a few days before wilting.
Nice weather means more time spent outside, whether in your yard, on your porch, or out on your apartment or condo balcony. But balconies don’t always offer a lot of privacy, and it can be awkward when your neighbors can easily see into your personal space. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways to easily block…
Sometimes, the best way to use your Mac is to not use it at all. Your Mac is capable of powerful automations that can run mundane or repetitive tasks for you, and these nine apps can help free you of that micromanaging so you can get back to whatever you really want to do.
Standing water that remains on your lawn well after a rainstorm not only limits how you use your yard; it also creates a breeding ground for insects, mold, and algae, attracts rodents, and may kill your grass.
If you have lots of space to cover, weeding can be tedious, time-consuming work, not to mention how hard it can be on your back and knees. There’s a fun tool you can try to banish weeds, though, and it’s actually fun and fast to use: a weed burner.
It’s 7 a.m., and you’re feeling smug about waking up in time to make breakfast. Your dish of choice? Avocado toast. But then, disaster. You slice into an alligator pear, only to find that it is decidedly unripe and rubbery. What to do? What to do? Besides reaching for another avocado, you have to figure out what to do…
When we think of fences, materials like lumber, chain-link, stone, brick, and chickenwire tend to come to mind. But what about shrubs and small trees? They can be used to create what’s known as a “living fence,” which is exactly what it sounds like.
