The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Happy Things Friday: 10 October

The first few days of this week just felt…weird. There have already been various school holidays, and schedules seem to be constantly in flux for one reason or another. John left on Monday for…

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…

Never Have I Ever…Part 13

It’s time to share ten more things I’ve never ever done. As always, they’re pretty random, but that’s half the fun.

Taken photos in a photo booth.

Cooked with saffron.

Tasted Vegemite (or Marmite).

Learned sign language. (I…

Happy Things Friday: 10 October

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

Handwriting: Fading Art or Skill Worth Saving?

On My Shelf: Books I Read in September 2025

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

Happy Things Friday: 3 October

Never Have I Ever…Part 13

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