TODAY'S HISTORY:
As Election Day approaches, I often find myself thinking of H.L. Mencken. Particularly during off-year contests.
The next time you change out the water in an aquarium, don't toss the 'dirty' water down the drain. That cloudy, murky water is full of nutrients that your plants will love, including good bacteria, nitrogen, minerals, phosphorous and potassium. It's perfect for houseplants and ornamental plants, and a little goes a long way.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently went to an event hosted by a young woman I know. It was beautiful to see so many young professionals out there doing their thing, but it was also jarring. I have been somewhat isolated in my own world, and I feel like life is passing me by. I am at least 30 years older than most of the other women at this event. I looked around in awe to see a whole new crop of promising professionals, and it made me both happy and sad. I was happy to see the potential in them and frightened to realize how old I am and how disengaged I am from the pulse of things. I'm not trying to be young and hip, but I do want to stay in the flow of energy and creativity that I witnessed that evening. How can I do that? — Offbeat DEAR OFFBEAT: I'm sure you are grateful that your young friend invited you to her event. That, by the way, is proof that younger people do see and respect you. Hopefully, you bonded with some of the people you met. That's how you start. Invite one or more of them to coffee or drinks. Learn more about who they are and what their interests are. Begin a cross-generational dialogue where everyone's insights and opinions are valued.
The path from American isolationism to internationalism passed through British Guiana (the boundary dispute of 1895-1899), Havana Harbor (the explosion of the battleship Maine), Manila Bay (Commodore George Dewey’s defeat of the Spanish naval force), Nanking (the negotiations over the Open Door Policy) ... and Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Dear Doctors: I had stabs of pain in the upper right side of my abdomen one day, so I did a telehealth session. The nurse said it might be gallstones and to see my doctor if it repeats. So far, it hasn't happened again. What are gallstones? How do you get them, and what is the treatment?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I think that my boyfriend might be a colorist. The other day I asked him what he likes about me, and one of the things that he named was my 'light complexion.' (We are both African American.) This immediately raised a red flag. I always assumed that he liked me for me, not my skin tone. I also don't like the fact that perhaps if I were a few shades darker, he would not have been interested in me.
Take hair. If you want to understand the immense value of diversity in higher education, that’s not a bad place to start.
My husband, Peter, says they are rushing the season. I'm not sure who 'they' are. The Christmas Cartel, perhaps. The vast conspiracy of premature holiday merrymakers. Whoever they are, Peter does not approve.
DEAR HARRIETTE: Lately, I've been finding myself with a lot of free time during the day. I work remotely, but the company that I work for is in a completely different time zone than me. My workday begins before everyone else's, but it also ends before everyone else's. I want to fight the fatigue that working in a different time zone gives me and make the absolute most of my day. How can I ensure my productivity when I have free time? — Free Time