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Nerdy makers
As someone who makes things, I am very interested in new materials, cool ways to hack off-the-shelf products, and innovative techniques for constructing stuff. All these subjects are covered in an occasional free newsletter, Wheelhouse, written for nerdy makers. Wheelhouse also hosts a Discord community whose discussions generate content for the newsletter. — KK

Superglue and baking soda for fixing broken plastic parts
My friend Bob sent me this video about using super glue and baking soda to fix broken plastic parts. When it cures it is rock hard. I used this material to repair a broken dimmer switch knob and it didn’t break when I intentionally tried to snap it between my hands. — MF

How to comfort someone
I think being able to make someone feel better is a superpower and one that I often fail at when I go into problem-solving mode too soon. This article outlines “The Four States of Distress” — 1. Shocked. 2. Feeling bad and not wanting to feel better. 3. Ready to feel better. 4. Feeling better and needing solutions. — and suggests the most helpful actions you can take to comfort someone at each state. It also shines a light on “comfort languages,” and after some thought, I recognized my comfort language is having someone help me explore and understand my feelings (and distraction helps too!). — CD

Super comfortable slippers I can wear outside
I rarely drive anywhere these days, and aside from taking walks a couple of times a day in the neighborhood, I’m sheltering in place. I decided to give my feet a break and I’m wearing slippers instead of shoes around the house. These $15 memory foam slippers from RockDove have an open back that makes them easy to slip on and kick-off, and the memory foam insoles are incredibly comfortable. Importantly they have a thick waterproof sole, so I can wear them in the backyard. — MF

Free music soundtracks for video
The secret sauce for successful film- and video-making is the audio. The easiest way to add a musical score and sound effects to home-made video, particularly if you will be uploading it to YouTube, is to use the large collection of license-free music and effects in the YouTube Audio library. It’s free. Many tracks are pretty good. And the music is guaranteed to be “clear” and not cause copyright or monetization issues on YouTube. I’ve been using them on my videos. — KK

Best contact solution
I’ve been a contact wearer for 20+ years and have always bought the cheapest, store brand cleaning solution on the shelf thinking they were all the same. I was forced to buy Opti-Free Puremoist with HydraGlyde ($10, 10 fl oz) while I was on vacation and it was the only option, and I’m so happy I did, because they make my contacts feel like silk! The Puremoist Rewetting Drops also help keep my contacts comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. — CD

-- Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson 08/16/20