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Do you still go out to watch movies? I stopped wondering about what's playing at my local theater, and I'm starting to wonder if these places have already been going the way of video rental stores. What do you think?

Lots of companies seem to be taking the hybrid approach these days. It's a good compromise. That's a great point about the rising gas prices. I wonder how it compares with the increase in electricity due to running the AC on full-blast while working remotely. It is just so darn hot these days. I'm glad that you've found a schedule that works for you, Nickel!

I'm 60% remote, 40% in person. I still somewhat prefer being remote. I like spending time in another building in another neighborhood – but it's nice not filling up my gas tank as much these days!

Is anyone still working from home, or have you headed back to the office? At my workplace, most of us are back in the office. I'm glad to be back, but I know some people really thrived while working from home.

I downloaded the Babbel app to try out beginning-level Portuguese – even though I made just a tiny bit of progress with my languages on Duolingo. It's fun using these apps!

I make coffee, then listen to or read news while checking email. I also have morning prayer and reflection, usually mid-morning or closer to lunch.

I like to begin my mornings with prayer. I feel like it starts the day on a positive note. Spending a few minutes doing a mindfulness exercise would probably achieve the same goal.

I've read articles saying that having a fixed routine will help you start your day better. Doing a few stretches here and there would help with blood circulation, so I've considered doing that right after waking up. Although I'm still working on my sleeping schedule, washing my face and drinking water is the best part of my routine. How would you describe your mornings?

I need to find a new family friendly show. Any suggestions? I have all the usual subscriptions - Netflix, Amazon Prime, and cable. I'm open to anything that isn't scary or depressing.

I haven't got the time to watch series, so I only enjoy some movies from time to time. If you haven't watched the second movie of Don't Breathe yet, I recommend you do. You would appreciate it for its intensity and drama. The main actor was really cool that I had to look him up after the film.

So far, it’s been all right. I'm using a sports sunscreen that's not oily at all. If anything, it’s a little bit drying, so I’ve been putting on moisturizer first.

Goodness, prices are outrageous right now! It seems like everyone wants to travel near and far, to make up for the past two years of pandemic misery, so prices have been jacked up.

The essential products would be moisturizers and cleansers for skincare. They also recommend sunscreen, but I don't think it's a good idea to use it at night. Won't it clog your pores? It could cause a breakout in some cases.

Hi Migi I have completed the three extra posts. May there be a favorable analysis of the posts and I be taken as a writer in the forum even as I continue to learn and sharpen my skills. Thanks.

I'm not trying to fight the signs of aging or anything like that. I just use basic lotion after I bathe and that's about it. I'm pretty pale, so I do wear sunscreen when I'm working in my garden and while I'm mowing.

What makes a human a unique being is a difference in the form and order from the rest of the animals despite other similarities. A divine connection inspires our lives as living souls with a spiritual link to the deity. By meditation on events, we can discern things and become more godlike. There's nothing special about eating and drinking, procreation and death, or looking as beautiful as an antelope or tiger, for every animal undergoes these things. But our education, advancement, civilization, the burning desire for life, to live on and on is a nature that types the divine, our creativity, a quest for immortality, eternity, and a higher dimension of being. Every man has a spark of divinity, a spirit, and an infinite treasure trove shrouded by an animal-like body. We need to look within, dig out the dormant gemstones of our being and be of conscious service. Everyone is born rich, but the awkward and lopsided beliefs we acquire about who we are, the community, and the world is the limitation that keeps us from wealth and makes the majority more animal-like than creatures of divinity.

It is none of your business, a jingle we often toss to warn others not to interfere. In a polite context, it means attending to your duty. We are sometimes in situations where we have no other obligation but to mind what may appear to be someone else business. When things go wrong where we are in a position to set them for the benefit of all, it is prudent to do just that. We may overlook a fault elsewhere that can perniciously tiptoe into our quota. In the grand scheme of things, where one is not living alone on a secluded island, we are one another business. We can be objective in approaching important matters outside and looking beyond the situation or person with the knowledge that in the end, we are in this together, our losses conjoined. We see leaders who arise as agents of positive change, their willingness to think outside the box and step outside the safe cocoon. Elegance is refusing to be the cold soul satisfied with a depressing status quo and to adventure beyond the tribe, the village, and into the world.

It reminds me of the tragic death of Marc-Vivien Foe, the Cameroon star, during 2003 Confederations Cup. The fact that life and death are juxtaposed is a wake-up call that we should live momentarily in earnest, appreciating each breath and being consciously aware of our short time that is fleeting away. As we live hopefully towards the future, we mustn't take the minutes that slip off our hands for granted.

I started watching Pachinko, a series about a Korean-Japanese family from 1910 to 1989. It's emotional and visually beautiful. Apple TV invested a lot in this. Also, the opening credits are cool – I watched them separately a few extra times!

7 UP There we go … it's 7 Up. Now it's time to sprinkle some spices. Are you ready!

Music Food to the Soul And it's also said that music is the spice of life. It lifts the soul on weary days with supernatural pieces in a sweet, calming song. It comes from varied sources. What we may consider as not music could be the very thing that our heart yearns. A child's laughter maybe what we need, or the sound of children at the playground outside. It doesn't have to be a radio blasting forth since even the symphony of birds chirping from the bushes can be the curry that adds sweetness to life.

I usually garden every year. So far I've planted okra, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, squash, and cucumbers. I also grow flowers and ornamental plants. I find it relaxing!

I'm looking forward to ice coffee season. Since it gets pricey getting these individually, I'll get a big bottle of cold black coffee from the supermarket, then add milk (or oat milk or almond milk) when I make a glass at home. It can be challenging stopping at just one!