You know what's a great test of your knowledge? Parenting.

First, kids are constantly asking, "Why?" Which usually just means "tell me more." Our kiddo is in a phase of asking, "Why do we need..." about anything and everything she can think of. Trying to explain the purpose of soil, bugs, the sky, Taylor Swift, and unicorns has been interesting.

Second, when your kiddos are still young, you have to explain things in ways they can understand. It's a true test of your expertise when you're forced to break down complex topics into their simplest points. Lately, we've been trying to get the kiddo to eat different food. We tell her that's because each kind of food has different "energies" in them. Carbs give her "fast" energy so she can run around. Sugar gives her "silly" energy so she can have fun. Protein gives her "strong" energy so she can lift things and move. Veggies and fruit give her "healthy" energy so she doesn't get sick. 

​Is this even close to the real science? Unlikely - but it gets to the heart of the things.

I enjoy the challenge but, if she starts asking me about anything related to physics I'm screwed.

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I’m like 10 pages from the end of Iron Flame. I adore this series. I don’t care that the characters are overly dramatic. Give me all the romantasy angst and action! The third book doesn’t come out until January and I’m already pouting about it.

*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org

• The energy costs of saving data. [The Atlantic - gift link]

• Why we never seem satisfied. [The Atlantic - gift link]

• Tips for picking the right wine glass. [Wine Folly]

• Using the sun as a prop. [PetaPixel]

• The DC accent and why it's hard to study. [WAMU]

• What the recent Supreme Court decisions impact will be. [The Daily]

• The job of asking AI questions. [The Indicator]

• We're sending autonomous robots to war. [The Daily]

• I've seen these ponies. They know how to break into coolers. [Atlas Obscura]

• In things you never knew about World War II. [Noble Blood]

• Sandwiches are history and culture. [Atlas Obscura]

• Are we talking about mental health therapy all wrong? [Good on Paper]

• I gave up on following celebrity gossip a long time ago, but this conversation on J.Lo was fascinating. [Culture Study]

• The husband put on The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More and I had no idea what we were in for. Turns out it was a charming delight! This is a Wes Anderson, so that should tell you something. It feels like a stage play and is enchanting to watch. The dialogue and stories move at a fast clip. That gives it an addictive energy. It also feels very much like falling into a storybook. [Netflix]

• We've put off watching Avatar: The Way of Water because it's over three hours long. That's too long. It does not need to be so long! I do like the extra world building but the plot was basically the same as the first film. It feels like a step by step rehash of the original story. Also, as pretty as some of the work is, the CGI does not hold up. This is particularly true where they try to blend CGI with real water. It just doesn't work. [Disney+]

• I finally got around to using the beets we got in our farm share several weeks ago. I roasted and chilled them before slicing. Then I made tuna, white bean, and dill salad for my lunch meal prep. I wasn't quite sure how all the flavors would blend as I was making the dish. They just seemed kind of disconnected. I should never have worried because this was delicious. I hope we get more beets so I can make it again. [Eating Well]

• We also got tomatillos in our farm share. I whipped up a roasted salsa that took just a sheet pan and blender. I've made raw tomatillo salsa before, but the roasting was a much better way to go. I did go off recipe and added some spices to give it some heat. Smoked paprika is your friend. [Love and Lemons]

• I've wanted to make sliders for some time. I started easy with Cuban sliders. These were super fast to throw together. I skipped the butter steps because I did not find it necessary. Also, I need to bake them just a skosh longer because the cheese in the middle did not fully melt. [PureWow]

This was my favorite piece from a stunning series of art created from broken porcelain plats. [Colossal]

Asteroid Launcher lets you simulate what would happen if various sized asteroids hit different parts of the earth.

I gave myself a solo short staycation a local hotel for my birthday. I can’t wait.