Flying Was Already the Worst. Then America Stopped Using Headphones.
Some travelers are confronting people who think it’s OK to have phone conversations on speaker, but it doesn’t always end well
Gift link but you may have to register
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-flight-delays-christmas-technology-delays-ea464fbe?st=18R1fA&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Interesting. I don’t even want to hear one side of a conversation. Not understanding the reference to headphones. Folks can just listen to the phone without using speaker.
I think these two just won the Darwin prize!
7 People (and One Coyote) Who Made New York City a Better Place in 2024
They were the bright lights during a rocky year, making the city a cooler, and fairer, place to be.
gift link
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/28/nyregion/best-new-yorkers-2024.html?unlocked_article_code=1.l04.wI_y.Bnu7eKzR7OUq&smid=url-share
My fave:
If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t get up (unless you really have to pee). Instead, lie on your back and do 10 rounds of 4-7-8 breathing (inhaling for four seconds, holding it for seven and exhaling for eight). Then count backward from 300 by threes. The breaths slow your heart rate, while the math keeps your mind from racing. It works so well, it’s like taking an Ambien.
–Michael Breus, Sleep specialist and author of “Sleep Drink Breathe”
My urologist instructed me to get up & go to the bathroom whenever I wake up at night. For me, any tip that keeps my kidney stones at bay is one of my most important health tips!
Nah, just grab your phone on the nightstand and log onto the CC insomnia thread …. 
I ran across this news article and had trouble believing the original ruling in the divorce case from 2019(!).
I find this concerning:
Anyone here from the Lexington VA area? We are there in late March for a wedding. Looking for recommendations for a good brunch/lunch place for about 10-12 people. Also, any must-see places/hikes near there? We will very likely be driving down from the Boston area sometime earlier that week.
I know S liked House Mountain, but that’s a very long and difficult trail. If 45 minutes south isn’t too far, then I’d recommend Sharp Top. That’s an iconic trail. It’s not easy. It’s very rocky, but there is also a bus that will take you up almost all the way to the top. The views are stunning.
The Peaks of Otter Lodge is also there with a fantastic brunch, but there are also plenty of good places to eat in Lexington too. I’d let others recommend those, as I’m more in the cheapo eats type of crowd.
