Systems and goals

By | June 6, 2016

This may or may not be the last time I mention this book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams, but he has a chapter that I’m pretty sure he wrote just for me. He’s all like, Thriftygal, …goal-oriented people exist in a state of nearly continuous failure that they… Read More »

Happiness Cliff Notes

By | May 30, 2016

It’s my duty to be happy. I can’t be the first one to think that. This is why I spend so much time gazing at my navel, contemplating how to make it so. There’s a lot of research out there, but here’s my takeaway so far: Thriftygal’s Cliff Notes on Happiness I. Necessary, but not sufficient: A… Read More »

How to feel in control

By | May 26, 2016

I mentioned recently that I enjoyed reading Scott Adam’s book “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.” He has a fantastic chapter on setting your activities to your inner clock and I highlighted this a bunch of times. …the single biggest trick for manipulating your happiness chemistry is being able to do what… Read More »

On Chicago

By | May 23, 2016

I know I’m always yapping to you about how close friendships are important to happiness, but research shows that my yapping is vital. Life is better when you have pleasant interactions with people on a regular basis. That’s one of my “duh” realizations. I’ve been shoddy with my posting schedule this past week because I’ve been hanging… Read More »

FAQ

By | May 12, 2016

I love your emails. I do. I know I haven’t replied to you or maybe I replied to you once, you replied back and then you never heard from me again. I’m terribly sorry. Please know that I’ve read it though and your kind words make my day, my week, my month, my life. Here… Read More »

Cabbage bhaji

By | May 9, 2016

I’m posting another recipe in Operation Learn to Cook Like Mom (and Occasionally Other Amazing Cooks I’m Related To). I learned this cabbage dish recently while staying with my aunt. She is the superheroine that makes the pav (POW!) bhaji recipe I posted. Ingredients 3/4 head of cabbage 1/2 large onion 4 thai hot peppers 1 cup… Read More »

Buttermilk Besan Recipe

By | April 28, 2016

Here’s another recipe in Operation Learn to Cook like Mommy Dearest. There are roughly a million varieties of this dish, but this is the best one in my opinion. According to my ma, it’s the dish that people in India whip up if unexpected company arrives because you always have the basic ingredients on hand. So, maybe… Read More »

Thanks, Trent

By | April 25, 2016

I mentioned recently how a drop of water told me to change my attitude, so now instead of despairing about not being as good as everyone else is at everything, I feel relieved that so many sophisticated people are working on life’s problems, thinking about how to make things better and sharing their knowledge. Think of the possibilities! Maybe humanity is not completely screwed after… Read More »