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August is Peach Month, and so we’re serving up all the information you need about this classic summer fruit, courtesy of the Field Guide to Produce by Aliza Green. From the history and classification of various types of peaches and nectarines, to how to pick the best ones, to some great recipe ideas and flavor combinations, this segment is the definitive Peach Primer.

Photo via The Hudson Family on Flickr

You did have a life before you were a mom, so you probably know quite a bit about multitasking. The one-handed approach allows you to do a whole slew of tasks, even with a babe in arms. The Rookie Mom’s Handbook by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss has the tip:

Photo via Archie4oz

Today we will delve into The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Work, to find the solution to a common problem for anyone who has ever been an assistant. The cubicle.

1. Select a good location: Opt for a cube away from main hallways, bathrooms, supply rooms, and other high-traffic areas, if you have the choice. Avoid cubes within the boss’s line of sight.

2. Use comfort devices: Requisition a more comfortable chair, or select one from an empty cubicle or office (some styles of chairs may be assigned to employees above a certain level, so be careful about what you borrow). Alternatively, obtain a doctor’s note stating that you require a comfortable chair for medical reasons—your employer will be obligated to provide you with one. A back pillow and footrest will also make cube life more comfortable and relaxed. Do not attempt to fit in recliners, love seats, or hammocks.

3. Install convenience items: A wireless telephone headset will give you increased freedom of movement. Noise-cancelling headphones (with an extra-long cord) will eliminate outside distractions. A small fan is effective in filtering out annoying noises such as typing and phone conversations. (The fan will also make it more difficult for co-workers to eavesdrop on your conversations.) Small refrigerators, hair dryers, televisions, VCRs, and blenders should not be easily visible.

4. Personalize your space: Decorate your cubicle with your family photographs and drawings, as well as other pictures and cartoons you like, giving your cube a homey touch. Avoid hanging too many items or you risk a cubicle that looks like a dorm room or refrigerator door.

5. Build upward: There is usually no limit to the amount of vertical space you can occupy. Stack in/out trays high atop elevated surfaces for additional room. Staplers, tape dispensers, card files, and other items that traditionally occupy valuable space on top of a desk can be suspended from the ceiling to create a more spacious environment below.

6. Use mirrors: Hang a large mirror on the cubicle wall to create the illusion of spaciousness.

Be Aware

• Health and safety codes dictate that cubes may not have roofs. Do not attempt to construct a fully enclosed cubicle for privacy.

• Adding a small, stick-on, wide-angle mirror to the edge of your monitor allows you to see if someone is peering into your cubicle from behind.

• Notify your supervisor that you would like to sit in a “double-wide” cubicle if one becomes available. Standard cubes are 8 by 8 feet and 4 to 6 feet high—double-wides offer twice the floor space of standard units, plus an L- or U-shaped desk. The double-wide cubicle does carry some risk: If office space gets tight, you may find yourself with a cube-mate, a particularly undesirable situation.

After spending so much money on an e-reader, you wouldn’t want to accidentally spill something on it, drop it, or ruin it in any way – but few (if any) of the cases you’ll find in stores are anything special.

If you’re tired of your bland Kindle cover or your overused Nook case, look no further: Nimoo on Etsy has the answer.

These covers are made to order and can be made to fit any type of e-reader. Aside from having adorable patterns, they’re multi-functional. The pocket on the front can hold small notebooks, pens, pencils, phones, spare change… the possibilities are endless.

The padding inside will protect an e-reader from most damage, and it even has a button to keep it safe and secure. There are many fabric options, and each one is handmade. No more awkward moments when someone has the same Kobo cover as you do.

Scope out Nimoo’s store on Etsy, here!

If you’re a lover of both literature and body modification, you’ll understand the longing to get a book tattoo.

Between quotes, illustrations, and tattoos of just books in general, we’ve compiled some amazing pieces of ink! Here are ten of my favorite, beautiful book tattoos.

And if you can’t get enough of them (I sure can’t), check out the website Tattoo Lit, now a book published by our friends Harper Perennial.

I’ve been answering the End of the World question for years.

One usually first confronts it around middle school. Without probing too deeply I realize that I had never really revised my answer since that time. A voice from the Id, something along the lines of: “Yeah! I want a seraglio full of Penthouse models all dressed in hooker costumes, and all the chocolate chip cookies in the world!”