Distancing season: Making the most of it
A healthier drinking life?
New federal guidelines in the works may soon put a damper on cocktail hour, said Sumathi Reddy in The Wall Street Journal. Following an 8 percent rise in U.S. alcohol consumption over the past two decades—and a surge in booze sales when pandemic shutdowns struck—an advisory committee is urging that men be counseled to consume no more than one drink a day, halving the previous volume to match what women have long been told. The change, which has to be approved by two federal departments before officially becoming part of U.S. dietary guidelines, comes in light of growing evidence that moderate alcohol consumption contributes to more than 60 diseases, including six types of cancer. “Whatever kind of study you look at,” says Boston University alcohol researcher Timothy Naimi, “two drinks a day is associated with a higher risk of death than drinking one drink a day.”
More than one way to declutter
All of America is decluttering these days, and there’s more than one way to join in, said Jennifer Barger in The Washington Post. Author Marie Kondo has sold millions of books advising throwing out anything that doesn’t “spark joy,” but her extreme approach “isn’t for everyone.” Instead, weed out things you haven’t used in a full year, and be especially hard on items—clothes, toys—that no longer all fit in the closets and containers you have. Don’t try to tackle an entire home at once. Set a timer to put in 15 minutes each day. And call in a friend or a pro (see napo.net) when a second brain can help with hard decisions. “Can you hold on to a few items for sentimental reasons? Sure, but within reason.”
How to build a better sandcastle
Next time you head to the beach, bring some 5-gallon buckets, said Scott Yorko in SmithsonianMag.com. That’s what pros use to erect the towering sandcastles that win prizes. Keep a bucket for water and cut the bottom out of others with a utility knife. Building near the water, set the buckets upside down, pour in wet sand plus water, filling about a third at a time before tamping down the sand. Lift the bucket and repeat, setting cylinders of sand next to one another until you have a base as wide as the castle will be tall. You’ll stack cylinders until you’ve created a stable pyramid, then start carving from the top, shaving away sand using simple tools such as cake cutters or palette knives. “Don’t be afraid to take risks: You can fix just about anything.”