The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Reader Question: Is That Thrift Store Item Actually a Good Deal?

I recently got an email from Theresa in Texas (hi, Theresa!) who asked a great question:

“Please consider opining on how to determine if a price at a thrift store is a good deal. While…

Life
Oct, 09, 2025
27 Comments

Handwriting: Fading Art or Skill Worth Saving?

A few weeks ago I was reading a post from Daria and couldn’t help but notice that her daughter (Grade 2) has far neater printing than my son (Grade 5).

Indy went through the exact…

On My Shelf: Books I Read in September 2025

Wait a minute. How did September come (and now go) so quickly? Thankfully, I can mark the passage of time with more great books!

Also, I only finished one book of non-fiction in September? What…

Reading
Oct, 07, 2025
40 Comments

Random Q&A That Are Interesting but Not At All Important…

A few weeks ago Andrea posted a list of fun questions she uses to help take attendance in her Math class. I picked 20 of her prompts to answer today:

Would you rather travel the…

Happy Things Friday: 3 October

Happy October!

October is probably my favourite month of the entire year and 2025’s is shaping up to be an epic one. This time next week Kae and I will be heading to the…