I’m a strong introvert. I often find interactions with people incredibly draining. So I was surprised to learn that research indicates that even brief, positive interactions with strangers can boost our mood. Yes, even for introverts. It was this episode of the Short Wave podcast that introduced me to this idea:After listening to it, I thought …

I just finished reading Winter’s Orbit, the debut queer romantic space opera by Everina Maxwell. I absolutely loved it! The two main characters are forced for political reasons into an arranged marriage. Each enters the relationship with misconceptions about what the other one must be feeling. Their relationship develops so sweetly, and the political stakes are …

Here’s a flower to brighten your day.Photo copyright 2021 Vanessa Kier It sure brightened mine. I was feeling sick. Miserable. Wanting to be anywhere but at work. So I stepped outside our office building for a bit of restorative sunshine and fresh air. As I walked the path bordering the parking lot, I discovered this flower. It …

The other weekend, I made a batch of pumpkin bread, which I have for breakfast most mornings. I put the pans in the oven, set the electronic timer on the oven’s interface, then realized that I’d entered the time wrong. For some reason, I always have trouble getting the timer to shut off. So I …