Time moves fast when you’re having fun. Right now, it is moving slowly sometimes and racing at others. Some good news. Politics. We will miss you, Pope Francis. Mother’s Day is close. I am missing an aglet. The AP is still being excluded. Stand for something or fall for anything.
Wild Cooking Woman 4/21/25
Things to think about
RIP Pope Francis, who died today. Just hours after the death of Pope Francis, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Today there were major shifts in global leaderships. Evil is being defeated by the hand of God.”I think she used to be Catholic. (more)
Certain fruits can be a sweet way to add an extra dose of protein to your diet.
Even though U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled that the government can’t retaliate against the AP’s decision not to follow the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico, they are still excluded. (more)
Mother’s Day is May 11 in the USA.
Have you checked your credit reports from the 3 main credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) lately? Go here to check. You don’t want any surprises and can work on fixing any mistakes.
Which airports have therapy animals?
Have you seen The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad? My copy is on its way. The reviews are marvelous; she has a story to share and lessons to teach. Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted is a previous book of hers that I loved.
Which country has the most national parks? Here’s a list, so start planning those summer trips now!
Clint Smith, writing in The Atlantic’s “What It Means to Tell the Truth About America“: “What does it mean for something to be improper if the administration’s understanding of what is acceptable excludes anything that might make white Americans feel bad? The National Museum of African American History and Culture is not a place that traffics in improper ideology.” (more)
Akron, Ohio, is the No. 1 most affordable place to retire in the USA, according to GoBankingRates. Drawback: it gets very cold there in the winter.
Do you shop at Tracy’s Dog?
Don’t like the Mediterranean Diet, but want to live a long, healthy life? There are other options. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and a fusion of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, known as the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), have been shown to promote brain and cognitive health. You can also follow a balanced diet, the kind of eating that Harvard researchers quantify with their Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). (more)
France forced Haiti to pay an indemnity of 150 million gold francs to compensate slaveholders for the loss of their slaves after the successful Haitian Revolution (1991-1804). “Haiti paid French slaveholders and their descendants the equivalent of between $20 and $30 billion in today’s dollars. It took Haiti 122 years to pay it off,” says Greg Rosalsky on the Planet Money podcast.
Ryan Coogler’s latest film, Sinners, is out. There’s a lot of buzz about it, and the financial deal he cut. Good on you, Ryan.
Choosing forgiveness doesn’t just sound like the right thing to do; it invites a plethora of science-backed health benefits. Go here to find out what health benefits forgiveness can bring, and download free resources. Free is good these days!
Dayton, Ohio, school leaders won’t sign Trump’s federal pledge against using DEI programs. I am so proud of my former home folks.
That unpaid highway toll text message is a scam. (more)
Today is Tax Day. There is a lot of info about taxes and the IRS online. NPR interviewed people about taxes, etc., today, and I will say that it continues to be discouraging. Poor folks like us pay more than rich folks. Something is wrong with that. Much to talk about. New music (?) and recipes. Save your money. Politics dominates the news. We need to study a real, comprehensive, and complete history.
Kintsugi 4/15/25
The current administration is now targeting African American museums, in particular in the Smithsonian system. An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office resulted in a purge of books from the Naval Academy library critical of racism but preserved books defending white power. Maya Angelou is gone, but Adolf Hitler is still on the shelves. Oy!
JPMorgan just raised its recession odds for this year to 60%. (more)
Did you know these people were born of immigrant parents or were immigrants themselves?
- Kash Patel, who leads the FBI, was born to Indian immigrant parents.
- Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was born to Turkish immigrants
- Vice President JD Vance‘s wife, second lady Usha Vance, was born to Indian immigrants
- Former Vice President Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents, a Jamaican father and an Indian mother
- Former U.N. Ambassador Nimarata Nikki Randhawa Haley, aka Nikki Haley, was born in South Carolina to Indian immigrants
- Marco Rubio was born to Cuban parents who were not American citizens at the time of his birth
- Elon Musk, born in South Africa, was an undocumented immigrant before gaining US citizenship
- Melania Trump was born in Slovenia and obtained an H-1B visa before becoming a citizen
- Peter Thiel was born in West Germany, grew up in South Africa, and became a naturalized citizen
- Donald Trump’s mother was a Scottish immigrant, and his father was the son of a German immigrant
National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Celebrate National Poetry Month 2025 using the theme FAMILY in its many forms: found and chosen family, birth family, and family that defies categorization. Attend the Poetry & the Creative Mind virtual gala on April 24, 2025
Jazz Appreciation Month 2025: Lester Young and his “Cool School”
This year’s poster artwork features a portrait of jazz legend Lester Young (1909-1959). The portrait comes from LeRoy Neiman’s 2005 Big Band painting depicting notable jazz musicians in performance. Nicknamed “Pres”—short for President, Lester Willis Young is among the most respected saxophonists of the 20th century. With an innovative playing style, a slick fashion sense, and his cool cat slang, Lester Young’s influence on jazz music and culture is profound.
What is Jazz? Jazz is a kind of music in which improvisation is typically an important part. In most jazz performances, players play solos that they make up on the spot, which requires considerable skill. There is tremendous variety in jazz, but most jazz is very rhythmic, has a forward momentum called “swing,” and uses “bent” or “blue” notes.
Jazz is about making something familiar–a familiar song–into something fresh. And about making something shared–a tune that everyone knows–into something personal.
Jazz spread from the United States to many parts of the world, and today jazz musicians–and jazz festivals–can be found in dozens of nations. Jazz is one of the United States’ greatest exports to the world.
Go here for a larger, more legible poster.
Lasagna for One
from One Dish Kitchen/Joanie Zisk
- 2 lasagna noodles
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 garlic clove -minced
- 8 ounces ground beef
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese -plus extra for sprinkling over the top
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cook the Noodles: Boil two lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set them aside.
- Sauté the Onions: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Meat: Add the ground beef to the skillet. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink.
- Add Sauce: Stir in 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
- Prepare the Ricotta Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Assemble the Lasagna: Lightly grease a small baking dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of the sauce on the bottom. Lay the noodles across the bottom of the dish. Top with the meat sauce, followed by the ricotta mixture, and half of the shredded mozzarella.
- Fold the Noodles: Fold the noodles over the filling to cover it completely.
- Add Final Layers: Top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake: Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Choose the Right Dish: A 5×5-inch baking dish is ideal for this mini lasagna, perfectly fitting two noodles. If using a slightly larger or deeper dish, you can add another layer of noodles, but avoid oversized dishes as they can make the lasagna dry.
- Watch the Bake Time: Keep an eye on the lasagna as it bakes, especially if you adjust the dish size or layer count. Ovens vary, so baking times may need slight adjustments to achieve a golden, bubbly top.
- Let It Rest: Allow the lasagna to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps the layers set, making it easier to slice and enhancing the flavors in every bite.
To figure out if your online accounts have been hacked, read here. If you aren’t a techie, ask a young person you know for some help.
Slavery in the English, French, and Spanish colonies, which later became the USA, lasted for 246 years or approximately 89,7900 days. Admiral James Stockdale was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for over seven and a half years, which is approximately 2,714 days. Elected officials who serve a four-year term serve for 1,416 days. We can do this.
April Commemorative Months
Autism Awareness Month
National Occupational Therapy Month
Black Women’s History Month
Financial Literacy Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Mathematics Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Deaf History Month
National Poetry Month
National Volunteer Month
Records And Information Management Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sikh Heritage Month
Stress Awareness Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
National Car Care Awareness Month
National Fair Housing Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Filipino Food Month
Did you know that …
If you plan to fly anywhere, you should know that there will be important changes to TSA procedures in 2025. BTW, you must have a Real ID or passport to fly after May 7, 2025.