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Fallingwater Animation

I have always had a soft spot for architecture. I mean, who hasn't seriously considered becoming an architect after reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead? And as cliché as it sounds, Frank Lloyd Wright has always been my favorite architect and Fallingwater my favorite residential building. Visiting Fallingwater has been on my to-do list for over a decade. Unfortunately, the 6+ hour drive to western Pennsylvania is too daunting for this lazy geek. Perhaps we can make a weekend trip of it years down the road, with kids screaming in the back seat, "Are we there yet?!!" For now, I can almost feel like I'm there...

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The Bubble Wrap Generation

The War on Children's Playgrounds J thinks that I will be an overly overprotective parent. I firmly disagree. I believe that there is an age up to which a child should be protected and nurtured because they just don't know better. However, we must also educate our children during this period to be aware of dangers, to learn to fend for themselves, and to also take the occasional injury as a learning experience. And after this age? I will encourage my children to live life and learn from their mistakes. This is not to say that I will let them do whatever they want; rather, I will not be opposed to their taking risks just as long as they are not unreasonable. After all,...

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Unconditional Love — Is “The Giving Tree” a Depressing Book?

When I was little, I asked my mother what love is. "Love is something you give away. But unlike other things, the more you give the more you receive in return. If you give one, you get two. If you give two, you get four, and so on. But you shouldn't give love just for the sake of getting more. You should love as God loves us." This statement has had a profound impact on me since I was that curious little girl of four. Perhaps this is the reason I still cite Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree as one of my favorite books of all time. A few years ago, I attended my cousin's daughter's 1-year birthday party and I decided to gift...

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