Something major happens on the first day of October (and, sometimes, the first day of September) every year:

The menu at your favorite coffee shop changes. Just a little. But it is a very big deal.

Guys! I'm, like, super proud of myself right now, for a relatively stupid and minor reason. To save myself from watching, like, 10 more hours of HBO's new show, Sharp Objects...

I Googled a plot summary of Gillian Flynn's 2007 novel of the same name so I will no longer feel the vague urge to waste my time seeing what happens next.

Super fun fact that I learned last weekend: you don't need $1,000 a day to rent a boat in the Tahoe/Truckee area. 

Truckee Wake & Ski is a wakeboard, water ski and wakesurf school/club that offers locally-priced lessons, sessions, summer camps, and more.

Sometimes, something is said -- and without validation, it just becomes widely accepted as fact. For example, variations of, "Money can't buy happiness." Or, "Beyond [arbitrary number of dollars], money doesn't increase happiness." Or, for the truly wedged, "Kids who live on dirt floors and have nothing are just so happy.​" (If you really think that, you are wrong, and seriously need to check your privilege.)

I was never a fan of "motivational speakers" -- I have plenty of motivation, and when I listen to someone talk, it's because I want to laugh or learn.

But I stumbled upon an inspirational talk by author Brené Brown a few years ago, and it made me laugh and learn so much that I've listened to it at least once per year since.

​Listen to it -- I guarantee you'll at least crack a smile.

I know it's only June... but I think I'm ready to hand out my mother of the year award. Kirstie Allsopp, this trophy's for you!

Earlier this week, Allsopp told the Sun newspaper that she and her partner sometimes sit in the business class cabin, while her children, 10 and 12, sit in economy.​

Of course, the rage machine that is social media immediately lurched into action... but rather than apologize for something she shouldn't be sorry for, she defended her personal parenting decisions.

After two months of surfing, hiking, scuba diving, and cultural experiences in Southeast Asia, I've officially returned home with a new vice:

I'm a water hoarder. 

Hey, guys. There's this REALLY bad canine influenza going around -- it's highly contagious, infecting about 80% of all dogs who come into contact with it, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Fortunately, it's rarely deadly; nevertheless, I found myself at the vet this morning for my dog's second vaccination.

After using several treats to lure my dog into the vet's office, I returned to the waiting room, where I heard sobbing coming from outside the building. Soon, a young woman holding a limp, lifeless puppy burst through the doors. The office staff jumped to action... But it was clear there was nothing they could do.

Last week, the Stanford Daily posted about new women-focused weightlifting hours in one of Stanford's many gyms. This week, a triggered little boy filed a filed a Title IX complaint to the U.S. Department of Education; a gender discrimination complaint to California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which enforces the Unruh Act; and an Act of Intolerance report through Stanford’s Student Affairs office.

​Well... maybe not ALWAYS.