I got Organic Chemistry for Babies and some other science-based children's books for my 10 month old for Christmas and I have to say I'm impressed. Something I'm actually interested in while reading before bedtime.

Anyone else heard of these types of books before?

@SomeShinyObject I had to Google that specific one, but yes, we got loads like this - my family is very science oriented. They are great, and helped us lead the kids to very useful learning

I'm pretty excited about them. I hope over time he gets excited about them too. I always regret not doing anything with my biology minor so I hope it's not some sort of vicarious living situation :D

I recently played a game and want to draw your attention to it. It's free, no need to download anything and text-based. In my opinion, it has great educational value, but it's not too much fun, rather serious. It's a bit older already, but also somewhat famous (if you remember "Gamergate" - this was basically the bone of contention).

Depression Quest

@SomeShinyObject Organic Chemistry for Babies??? I have to say, I'm impressed, too!

@AnneDaunted Wow, that was dark. I'm not sure someone who has never experienced depression could navigate that without judging the protagonist.

As mentioned in that interactive game, people experience depression differently. The best description of depression I have ever seen was a cartoon blog post called "Adventures in Depression" on the blog Hyperbole and a half. The author got a book offer, so the cartoons aren't up anymore, just the words.

It was outstanding. I think most people could relate to the character, whether they had experienced it or not. I referred many people to that strip.

@AnneDaunted How did you feel about it?

@anongoodnurse I guess so, too. But I believe it's doing a good job describing how the protagonist feels, so that the choices become clearer (and also which choices the protagonist doesn't have).

@AnneDaunted That's true. I like how they don't give you the choices a not-depressed person would choose.

How was your holiday?

@anongoodnurse It was very immersive and I could relate to much of it, although I wouldn't be restricted that much in my choices nowadays.

@anongoodnurse I spend them with my family and it was very enjoyable! How was yours?

@AnneDaunted It was really lovely, and quietish. The kids and their spouses and my two grandchildren got together for a low key affair that turned out to be perfect. On Christmas day, as mostly the kids were working (in the health care field, that happens), I spent the day with my dogs, movies, and continued planting bulbs in the back, grateful for the wonderful evening with my now adult kids.

I realized just now that my kids didn't squabble.

That is rare, and probably why it was so lovely.

@anongoodnurse That's rare in every family ;-)

Is it?

I'm sure it is

I think you're right.

My ex's family squabbles oduring get togethers were epic if good natured enough.

Ours was also a low key affair and I prefer that, too. Just spending time with the family

One squabble ended with a grown man proclaiming loudly, "I never met an outhouse I didn't like!"

@AnneDaunted Yep.

That year for Christmas, I got him a book about outhouses. It was a very pretty book, all the outhouses lookes lovely in their rustic and majestic/pastoral settings.

A man of few wants?

Lol, not exactly.

A high acheiver with low empathy.

No, make that no empathy.

So it would've been best to lock him in an outhouse? ;-)

But a good social presence, which combined with pure ambition got him very far up the ladder of success.

@AnneDaunted Amen!

What a great idea!

@anongoodnurse I know such people, too

I fear there are not enough outhouses in the world

@AnneDaunted I wrote about him once in an answer. We went to Disneyworld together and he was constantly yelling at my kids.

I had to confront him about it. He thought a boundary was completely ridiculous.

His entire family had no concept of boundaries.

I'm glad I don't need to deal with that anymore.

@AnneDaunted lol!

At least not with solid locks on them!

:D

@anongoodnurse I found it.

@AnneDaunted That's the one.

I don't like people who think boundaries are ridiculous

OMG, you'd think I had asked him to commit murder.

@AnneDaunted But there are so many people like that... sadly

And so many who get away with it

I myself didn't know about boundaries until about 30 years ago.

@AnneDaunted Because conflict is uncomfortable for people.

It's not my preferred mode of interaction, but I've never been afraid of it.

Often they are in the stronger position, too

If I were, I'd never have gotten into med school (back when it was ok to insult women in male dominated professions to their faces.)

@AnneDaunted Sure.Look at Trump.

O M G.

When I read your answer, I wondered whether he would have behaved like that towards a (taller) man, too

@AnneDaunted Right?

You are very insightful.

@anongoodnurse Thankfully, it has gotten somewhat better.

One of the reasons you're so valuable on this site. Seriously.

@AnneDaunted Much better.

@anongoodnurse Thank you so much!

I read one of your comments this morning and thought, I'm so glad Anne's here.

Now, only one is allowed to ignore my boundaries. To some extent. But it's furry and cute and has pointed claws

It's kind, empathetic, helpful and correct. Ideal!

@AnneDaunted LOLOL!

@AnneDaunted That's hilarious!

@anongoodnurse Thank you! But I feel that my comments are often not so friendly, or not as friendly as those of others

@AnneDaunted Oh, no, please don't feel that way.

I find your comments to be very helpful.

If I thought there was one you could go lighter on, I would have said something.

@anongoodnurse If I'm in doubt, I also leave it to others to write a comment

It's possible I don't feel what you did when you wrote it, though. But I never saw a rude or unhelpful coment from you.

@AnneDaunted A good approach. I need to lerarn to do that more than I do.

@anongoodnurse I'd rather not write a comment, at all. Or wait a bit before doing so.

@anongoodnurse Then again, someone has to do it. If everyone waits for someone else to do it...

Well, please participate only to the extent that you want. But I'm grateful you're so active here.

And I know that I am not alone. So.

I took a bit of a break from editing, to allow the front page to recover a bit.

Lol!

Now that we also have even less activity than usual, it would easily be too much

Your dedication is very admirable! You have earned quite a break!

But I submitted some tag wiki excerpts. i hope they are fine

We really are slow these days.

Btw., evil grin, I received a bounty and now have the privilege to see deleted posts etc.

@AnneDaunted I haven't seen any lately (I'm a schlubb), but all of those that I have seen have been quite reasonable.

@AnneDaunted Oooo! That's fun, isn't it?!

It really feels like you're in on everything once that happens. :)

@AnneDaunted In what way?

@anongoodnurse ;-) Over at IPS I do have all privileges, so I'm kind of cheating

@anongoodnurse To see what people write

@AnneDaunted Ah. The hateful posts.

Yes, that can be discouraging.

@anongoodnurse I just submitted them today

And you mods had to take the time to delete that

@AnneDaunted Ah, I feel better already. :) I'm still a schlub though.

No, you're not a schlub

@AnneDaunted The answers are easy. The comments, though...omg, that can be exhausting.

When they implemented them, they opened Pandora's clock

Well, I'm either a schlub or a schlamatzle (sp?), but I'm one or the other, usually a combination. kindof.

@AnneDaunted I cannot agree with you more!

schlamassel?

Omg, Max just let out the most frustrated sigh I ever heard. He really thinks I'm lazy for sitting down. I mean, who sits down, when they can run around in big circles, catch balls, learn tricks, and bark at passers by?

Then, go and bark at passers by ;-)

@AnneDaunted yes, that's it. I once read the definition, a schlub is someone who spills their soup on someone, and a schlamassel is the one who gets spilled on.

I thought that was a good definition, keeping with the spirit of the words.

Some people spill the soup over themself

@AnneDaunted lol! I bark at Max when he does that!

@AnneDaunted LOLOLOL! Exactly!

I am that person!

lol!

And now I will indulge Max, who is so (im)patient with me. :)

Cya!

Have a good afternoon/evening! :)

@anongoodnurse A Schlamassel is what you create when spilling the soup ;-)

@anongoodnurse Maybe you meant schlemiel instead? For sure, I'm not saying you are a schlemiel ;-)

@AnneDaunted Oooh, you are good! I'm a schlub, but you're right, I misused schlub for schlemiel.

I grew up (many decades ago) in Connecticut, but near enough to New York that Yiddish words were used commonly, and I used to hear them a lot. I moved (many decades ago) to a place where I'm much more likely to hear German-ish words (Pennsylvania Dutch), rarely Yiddish. I've forgotten so much.

When I first moved here (for my residency), when I saw some patients, I could barely make out what they were telling me.

Me: Hi, Mrs. X, I'm Dr. Y. What brings you in today?

Her: It flew into my back.

Me: (quite alarmed at the thought of a bird injuring her) WHAT flew into your back?

Her: The pain. It just flew into my back.

Or, (same intro), tell me why you brought your child in today.

Her: I don't know, he's just doppic (sp?)

Me: Doppic? What is doppic?

Her: You know, doppic.

Me: I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with that word. Can you explain what is concerning you about your son?

Her: Like I said, he's DOPPIC. (probably thinking what an idiot I am.)

Me: Please excuse me for just a moment (pop out into the corridor and hail a nurse who grew up here, to be told 'doppic' is 'clumsy'.)

omg, every time you move to a new area of the country, you learn a whole bunch of new words.