Hey Curio Peeps. Happy Plastic Free July! Our reliance on single-use disposable plastics has caused a pollution crisis. There’s a mass of tangled plastic in the Pacific Ocean that was twice the size of Texas in 2018. Microplastics are everywhere, including our bloodstreams, which may increase our risk of heart disease among other ailments. But you can turn the tide. Recycling is okay, but you know what would be even better? Opting out of using plastics in the first place.

I advised you not to rake your leaves in the fall to help pollinators survive the winter. Now that spring is here, have you considered not mowing your lawn? At least until the end of May (#NoMowMay)? Flowering plants that we traditionally classify as weeds, like dandelions, are an essential early food source for many of the same pollinators. Take a break! You don’t have to rake your leaves in the fall or mow your lawn in the spring. Think about what else you can do with that time and effort, like taking a walk and smelling the flowers/weeds.

Happy New Year, y’all! Most of us are holed away in our cozy abodes, escaping the winter chill, making now a great time to tackle repair and declutter tasks. I recently brought an armful of clothing to my local tailor for alterations and repairs, including a few moth eaten sweaters (yes, sweaters with holes are repairable). I also have several vintage garments I don’t wear anymore that I need to rehome. What’s been hanging out on your to-do list longer than you’re comfortable admitting?

It’s autumn, and we all know what that means - don’t rake your leaves! Fallen leaves are winter hibernation environments for all kinds of pollinators. While I won’t be able to convince the other families in my building to leave the leaves alone, I will be able to take the leaves from the lawn and stuff them around the plant beds to provide that crucial bug habitat and insulate our plants against the winter cold.

So what has Curio Research been up to over the summer? Lots! Let’s dig in.

Happy Plastic Free July! While you’re considering stocking up on mason jars to celebrate, here is the latest update on happenings at Curio Research.

Last Monday was Earth Day! Let me update you on Curio Research news before we celebrate the planet and do something good.

Hey Curio Research friends! I’m semi-booked for the remainder of the year, but I’ll still be able to fit in other projects depending on the scope and schedule. If you think you’ve got something, we should talk.

Hey Curio Friends! Q1 was busy, and Q2 is going well so far. I’ve got an opening for a new project in May if you have research needs. On with the show!

Hello from Curio Research HQ! It’s been a busy few months, but I’m back on a reasonable cadence and hitting a comfortable stride.

Hello Curio Research friends! I had to skip last quarter’s newsletter because I was busy working on paid and unpaid projects. Since then, things have slowed down enough for me to get back into old habits.

Hello Curio friends! I was supposed to be available again for new projects starting around mid-November but things never go as planned and now it looks like I won’t have availability until mid-January.

Hello friends! Could it be? Are we finally starting to see the other side of the pandemic? I'm beginning to see friends again. I've made brunch plans. I'm going to see two live shows next month (outdoors). It feels so tentative and exciting at the same time.

Updates on work and life from the first quarter of 2021.

Happy autumn! Depending on where you are, I hope you're enjoying the pleasant changes in weather and color while prepping your domiciles for a long and lonely self-isolating winter. (Bummer, I know.) This is what I’ve been up to over the last three months…

Hello again. I hope you're doing okay and staying safe. The world has certainly changed since we last spoke. I'll try to keep this lighthearted, but a lot is going on, and a lot is not going on.