• Travel

    Can I Fly With Damage to my Inner Ear?

    October 6, 2023 - By 

    The answer, in my case, was “yes”. I did only have mild bruising and there was no damage to the eardrum. As for how this happened, Small Sophie helpfully woke me up with a chopstick in my ear. I grabbed it, pulled it out, fought with her over it and ultimately won (because I am much bigger and stronger than a 2-year-old even while confused and sleepy), and said, sternly, “No putting things in ears!” She cried, probably because I rarely raise my voice. In a short while, she was in her own bed and sad, because she had no…

  • Travel

    Free iTaiwan Wi-Fi in Taiwan

    September 29, 2023 - By 

    Taiwan provides free public Wi-Fi with 8Mbps bandwidth in government-run indoor public areas with the SSID (Service Set Identifier) iTaiwan. The main site to learn about this service is 首頁 | iTaiwan無線上網服務. You need to be near a government office or near some government-run area during operation hours to find the network. For example, the township building probably only runs 9-5 but the train station should run 24 hours a day. It is meant to be indoors, so signal is often weak when outdoors. (And it could be a bad actor trying to imitate iTaiwan to steal your data.) I…

  • Travel

    2023 US Passport Wait Times

    September 22, 2023 - By 

    In 2023, three members of my family had to get our US passports. The news claimed that passports were taking much longer than usual because of renewed interest in travel post-pandemic. The official website https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html let us know that there were indeed longer processing times: For my family, the time to receive the new passport from mail-in date ranged from 3 weeks (Tremendously quick, considering it was normal service!) to 11 weeks. The one that took 11 weeks of wait time was the last one, so we were getting a bit concerned given the others were so quick! Renewal of…

  • Travel

    How to Make Pokémon Cafe Osaka Reservations – Japan

    September 21, 2023 - By 

    There are two Pokémon Cafes in Japan: Tokyo and Osaka. They are extremely popular to the point that it is difficult, though quite possible, to get reservations. Pokémon Cafe is known more for the decor and getting to eat curry out of a snorlax’s tummy than it is for the quality of the food. In fact, I have heard rather negative reviews with regards to actual food quality here. Food presentation, on the other hand, is rated high. However, for another incentive, there is “Special” Pokémon merchandise (limit of 3) that can only be purchased during the reservation. In 2023,…

  • Tea Things

    Lavender

    May 7, 2023 - By 

    Lavender, or lavendula, is a versatile and fragrant member of the mint family that has been used for centuries in various medicinal, and culinary applications— including, of course, tea. Back in Roman times, it was highly prized and quite expensive, as in one month’s wages for one pound. Today, it is not quite so expensive, which is why it is accessible to everyone as lavender honey, lavender-scented water, lavender icing for lavender cupcakes, etc. Flavor Profile: Delicate, floral. Tea Uses for Lavender Lavender can be used to complement other teas. Other ingredients with a similar flavor profile will tend to…

  • Tea Things

    Orange Peel

    April 25, 2023 - By 

    Orange peel, also known as citrus peel or zest, is the outermost layer of the orange fruit. Its delicate and floral aroma makes lavender a popular ingredient in herbal and floral teas. Flavor Profile: citrus, bright, fresh, zesty. Tea Uses for Orange Peel Orange peel is typically used to add a zesty or tangy flavour. The peel itself can vary from dark to light, so orange peels in general can be used in many combinations. I would caution those of you who wish to create your own orange peel teas to make sure that the orange peel is thinly sliced…

  • Life

    Violin Lesson No. 1 for Age 1

    October 11, 2022 - By 

    My roughly one-and-a-half-year-old (or 20-month-old for more precision) daughter got her new 1/32 violin. I began trying to teach her. I was honestly not expecting very much, and that is what I got. Of course, a violin session begins with having the violin not in the case. Small Sophie had trouble removing the bow from the case. It has to be pulled out sideways, but she became frustrated trying to pull it out forwards. After the instruments were all out, I began by playing a few melodies she likes, such as the Alphabet song and the Elmo’s World theme. She…

  • Life

    Sesame Place and Longwood Gardens With Our 1-Year-Old

    September 21, 2022 - By 

    In the year that Young Sophie was 0-1, or 2022, we chose to buy a season pass for Sesame Place and a membership for Longwood Gardens. We also considered the Turtleback Zoo (https://turtlebackzoo.com/admission-hours/), which gives free admission to those under 2. Sesame Place We chose Sesame Place for a simple reason that I am sure many other parents of children aged 0-3 understand: Our child likes Sesame Street. And Elmo. Sesame Place grants free entry to those aged 23 months and younger. The cost of one visit with two adults and one baby would total something like $50 Tickets x…

  • Life

    How to Clean Baby Poo off a White Carpet

    July 21, 2022 - By 

    At 17 months old, Small Sophie finally gifted me with a mess on a white carpet. (She thought it was a game to run away as I chased her with a diaper. I got tired and rested. She also stopped— and made her mess. And stepped in it. Yuck!) Until today, I had been fortunate enough that my daughter had only poo-ed out of her diaper once, and that was on hardwood flooring. Hardwood is easy; pick up the offending object(s), wipe the floor, and let dry. Carpet is different, and white is especially annoying to get stains on. Fortunately,…