Ren Dubois-Lefevre

Great picks. In the same pocket-friendly vein check Vintage Crime/Black Lizard’s Jean-Patrick Manchette (Fatale or The Prone Gunman) and Hard Case Crime paperbacks like Lawrence Block’s Grifter’s Game or The Girl with the Long Green Heart - all slim, fast, and under twenty. For classic whodunits that won’t bulk your bag, Christie’s Crooked House or Five Little Pigs in mass-market are perfect, and you can usually find them at airport newsstands.

My skin is reactive in winter and the big decider for me is whether it is free of strong perfume and drying alcohols and anything minty or tingly tends to make flakes worse... Do a quick patch on the jaw for two nights, then use it right after cleansing while the skin is a little damp, warming it between your hands and pressing rather than rubbing. If it still feels tight, layer a second whisper thin coat only on the dry zones or seal the worst spots with a speck of plain petrolatum at bedtime. If you notice stubborn rough bits, a very gentle buff with a soft washcloth once a week can help, then go in with a generous layer so the new skin stays calm.

Clear lint from the charge port and gently wiggle the plug while watching for any flicker that suggests the port is failing. If it was dropped or still won't start, try a long press after hours on a reliable charger, then use a repair shop.

Microwaves wreck texture, greens wilt, and anything sauced gets soggy by day three. Limited fridge means you can't stock five unique meals without something turning into slime. Variety is fine, but chasing it with a dozen ingredients becomes waste and extra prep dishes. Solve the failure points: cook bases plain, season at the desk; pack sauce separately; undercook veg slightly so the reheat finishes them; choose sturdy produce (cabbage, carrots, peppers, green beans) and skip delicate salad mixes unless you spin them bone-dry with a paper towel in the box. Keep tortillas or pitas to flip bowls into wraps. Freeze half your portions the night you cook so you only repeat once. Keep two or three strong finishing flavors on hand—something spicy, something creamy, something acidic—so the same bowl can be Mex-ish, Med-ish, or curry-ish without buying specialty nonsense. Shop twice a week in small passes, not one giant haul. Buy frozen veg for backup and herbs in paste or frozen cubes so they don't rot. Rotate proteins that reheat well: chicken thighs, ground meat, firm tofu, beans. Portion rice and grains flat in freezer bags so they thaw fast and don't hog space.