• I didn’t take piano lessons as a kid, but wanted my kids to learn an instrument.
• My oldest fell in love with the piano, and soon after, I started taking lessons, too.

My grandmother is a pianist. As often happens, the pendulum swung the other way with my mom, who neither had an interest in taking piano lessons nor in making her kids do so. I vowed to throw the pendulum back the other way with my kids, enrolling them in piano lessons even though they showed no interest.

As fate would have it, my eldest fell in love with the instrument. Soon after, I signed up for lessons, too. This fall I’ll begin my 10th semester as an adult piano student at our local university’s music education program.

Over the years, I’ve learned to read notes and play chords. I performed an arrangement of Billy Joel’s, “Piano Man,” and Burgmüller’s “L’Harmonie des Anges,” for my recitals. The more I advance, the more I realize I am years away from the confident sight-reading necessary to fulfill my original vision of being able to plop down at the piano and play any pop song or carol in front of me. But that doesn’t matter to me so much

Sure, there are many reasons I could quit, but I find there are many more to continue. In total, I spent about $6,000 on piano lessons for our family last year, and about $2,400 of that was for me. The investment was worth every penny.

Music is great for my brain

Many parents know and understand the advantages of having our children learn how to play an instrument. No matter what our age, adults can benefit, too. A 2025 study found “playing an instrument was associated with a 35% reduced dementia risk.”

I saw the value firsthand when I attended ‘Your Brain on Beethoven,’ a public concert put on by the Music-in-Medicine Initiative. While the musicians performed the “Archduke Trio,” a “Brain-Computer Interface and EEG brain dynamic data visualization” provided real-time feedback on how the music affected the pianist as a performer and the audience as listeners.

Even without a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I can feel the positive impact of music each time I play. Oftentimes, my lessons feel like a literal mental workout.

The concentration required to learn is meditative

As a parent of two, time is difficult to come by, so getting myself to sit down at the piano is the hardest part. That resistance quickly dissipates as soon as my fingers strike the keys, when the concentration required to play each note is so all-encompassing I can only focus on the task at hand.

Stepping away from a lesson, I often feel relaxed. My stress seems to melt away during the 45 dedicated minutes when I do not check my phone or email, or think about what I should do next. I get the same boost when I practice, as long as I take a minute to silence my phone.

Courage begets more courage

Learning something new is daunting. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the more I tried and failed, the more courage I had to do it again. Successes are delightful, but making it through failures while sitting at the piano bench is truly thrilling.

I might not free solo a mountain, but surviving my heart threatening to beat outside my chest while performing a piano recital is a wonderful reminder of aliveness, without any physical risk.

At my last recital, my hands shook so visibly that it was noticeable from the back row. I played through the adrenaline, managing to hit the notes and extract some musicality despite my strong physical reaction.

I gathered with the other adult students after our performance, and we congratulated each other. We all pointed out what went well. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, I took the compliments. Learning as an adult is not about being the best. It’s about being the best version of yourself. It’s a lesson I both learn and can pass along to my kids.

• Moving abroad made AI a practical tool for navigating daily life.
• My children have watched me use AI to solve problems and answer questions.
• The experience has shaped how I think about raising kids in the AI era.

I was writing the week’s menu on the Miele fridge in our Spanish apartment when I noticed the freezer temperature indicator flashing two dotted lines. I had no idea what it meant. So I pulled out my phone, opened Claude, described what I was seeing, and within seconds, I was troubleshooting it. My 7-year-old watched me go from clueless to unstuck in under a minute.

Nine months ago, I moved my family of four from Connecticut to Las Rozas de Madrid. We’re all learning Spanish one day at a time. I knew there would be a lot of figuring things out on the fly. But operating daily life in a new language and culture is humbling in ways you can’t fully anticipate until you’re in it.

So I’ve turned to AI when life throws something at me that I don’t yet have the language or knowledge to handle.

I use Claude all the time

In just the last few weeks, I’ve used Claude to chat with a doctor via our insurance app when my son came home from school with a hematoma. And then to translate bloodwork results and research the right supplements to order. And again, to understand an audit letter from Agencia Tributaria (Spain’s tax authority) about a package our neighbor had sent us months earlier.

What I didn’t anticipate was that my kids would be watching. Not passively, but quietly absorbing.

My 7-year-old experiences Claude as a sort of magic answer machine. On the bus to school, when he wants to learn everything there is to know about diamonds, I open it up, and we go deep together. He asks questions, I read him answers, and they spark more questions. He has no idea what the technology is. He just knows he can get answers to all the things he’s wondering about. I love that my not knowing doesn’t mean he hits a dead end. I learn alongside him.

My 10-year-old knows exactly what Claude is. He’s been watching me use it for months — and recently, we used it together for the first time on something important to him.

He wants to write a fantasy novel — he has the whole thing mapped out in his head. But he’s a perfectionist, and the gap between big idea and completed 30,000-word book felt impossible to him. He could visualize it, but he couldn’t see the steps — and was paralyzed by it. So I told him Claude could help.

We sat down together, and he watched me write a detailed prompt. From that, Claude built a road map — and I watched my son go from stuck to gleeful as he read it. Every phase and milestone was broken down into small steps he could take to turn his dream into reality. For the first time, this thing he wanted so badly to do actually felt doable. I asked Claude to build him a printable workbook to work through character development, plot, setting, and scenes. With a goal of 250 words a day, he can have the first draft done in four months.

While he nodded along to many of Claude’s suggestions, he pushed back on others. He disagreed with the editing process. He had a better way. It might take longer, he said, but it would make the final product better.

My kids also use Claude

In that moment, I was so proud. He didn’t blindly accept what came out of the tool. He thought critically, took what made sense to him, and discarded what didn’t. The road map didn’t write his novel. It just cleared the way so he could. Without it, a dream that might have been abandoned entirely became something he could start today.

As a mom, I’ve thought about whether any of this is good for them. Whether I’m modeling curiosity and resilience, or just handing them an easy button to outsource the hard parts.

Then I think about my older son on that bus. He didn’t hand his thinking over. He used a tool to get out of his own way so he could start the thing — and then trusted himself to take it from there.

And I think about my youngest, who’s so full of questions all the time. The answers Claude gives don’t dim his thinking; they just intensify it.

Here’s what I think they’re absorbing: that not knowing doesn’t have to be a dead end. Sometimes you just need to know the right question to ask.

We’re all still learning Spanish — figuring out this new life in Spain. Most of the time, I still don’t know what I’m doing. But I open Claude, ask a question, and keep moving forward. My kids are learning to do the same. And honestly, I think that’s one of the best things I can teach them. That everything really is figureoutable.

• Realtor.com ranked the 11 states where you can avoid spending more than 30% of your income on housing.
• The 30% rule is used as a benchmark to help households avoid becoming “house poor.”
• The states are mostly located in the US’s interior, including Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana.

Most of us have heard the golden rule of housing: Don’t spend more than 30% of your income on housing. Known as the 30% rule, it’s a benchmark financial experts often cite to help households avoid becoming “house poor” — meaning you have little savings left after paying monthly housing costs.

Unfortunately, for many Americans, that standard works better in theory than in practice. Realtor.com data shows that in most states, households earning the median income cannot comfortably afford a median-priced home without stretching their budgets too thin.

It’s a reality shaped by the same persistent strains on housing affordability: high mortgage rates, high home prices, and economic headwinds such as inflation, which continue to drive up the cost of everyday necessities like food and gas.

The good news is that Realtor.com has identified 11 states where homebuyers can still afford homes without overburdening themselves financially. The majority are located in the Midwest, and surprisingly, not a single state in the South — a region often associated with lower living costs — made the cut.

“Midwestern states tend to have stronger labor markets, which keep incomes high relative to home values,” said Joel Berner, a senior economist at Realtor.com. They also “have less of a lower tail of household incomes than the Southern states, so more Midwesterners end up able to afford homes.”

Here are the 11 states where a household earning the median income can afford a typical home without spending more than 30% of its income, according to Realtor.com.

11. Minnesota

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 29.9%
• Median household income: $88,572
• Median home-list price: $388,212

10. Maryland

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 29.8%
• Median household income: $99,340
• Median home-list price: $434,302

9. Missouri

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 29.5%
• Median household income: $69,725
• Median home-list price: $301,158

8. West Virginia

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 29.4%
• Median household income: $60,185
• Median home-list price: $259,523

7. Pennsylvania

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 28.5%
• Median household income: $74,855
• Median home-list price: $312,487

6. Michigan

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 28.3%
• Median household income: $70,131
• Median home-list price: $290,329

5. Indiana

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 28.3%
• Median household income: $71,469
• Median home-list price: $295,810

4. Kansas

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 27%
• Median household income: $74,030
• Median home-list price: $292,632

3. Ohio

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 27%
• Median household income: $70,196
• Median home-list price: $277,348

2. Illinois

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 26%
• Median household income: $80,648
• Median home-list price: $307,674

1. Iowa

• Share of median income needed to afford a median-priced home: 25.4%
• Median household income: $75,991
• Median home-list price: $282,886

• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday.
• The AFL-CIO congratulated the couple, both of whom are union members.
• The couple donated $26 million to charities ahead of the ceremony.

It’s a union love story, baby.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift officially tied the knot in an exclusive wedding at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday. Fans from across the globe rushed to congratulate the couple on their high-profile nuptials, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the country.

Swift is a member of the American Federation of Musicians and SAG-AFTRA, while Kelce is a member of the NFL Players Association.

“It’s better in a union,” the AFL-CIO wrote on X. “Congrats to @The_AFM and @sagaftra member @taylorswift13 and @NFLPA member @tkelce on their marriage!”

In a separate X post, the AFL-CIO said Madison Square Garden “is a completely union venue.”

Swift has shown support for unions in the past, including in 2023 during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike. While major studios and streamers resisted meeting union demands, Swift worked with SAG-AFTRA to secure an interim agreement for her concert film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.”

She’s not exactly a stalwart, however. In July of that same year, Unite Here Local 11, which represents 32,000 hospitality workers, urged Swift to cancel her Los Angeles-based concerts in support of their labor strike. She did not.

The high-profile nuptials drew hundreds of celebrities to New York City amid a sweltering heat wave. Paparazzi spotted Jason Sudeikis, Hugh Grant, Benson Boone, Ethan Hawke, Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, and more entering the venue.

Adam Sandler, a friend of the couple, officiated the wedding, the AP reported. Austin Swift served as his sister’s Man of Honor, and Jason Kelce served as his brother’s Best Man. While saying “I do,” the couple donned outfits designed by Christian Dior’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, and jewelry from Cartier.

While many of the event’s details were kept secret, TMZ reported that more than 1,000 guests were expected to attend, and that the couple paid millions of dollars to rent Madison Square Garden for several days. A City Hall spokesperson told CBS News that a permit was filed to close the streets surrounding the venue from July 2 to July 4.

The couple, who got engaged in August 2025 after two years of dating, donated $26 million to 20 local and national charities ahead of the ceremony. Swift’s publicist said the donations were tied to places that have shaped their lives, including Rhode Island and New York City. One of the recipients, Harvesters — The Community Food Network, said Swift and Kelce donated $1 million to its food bank in an Instagram post.

“We’d like to send a heartfelt thank you to @taylorswift and @killatrav for their very generous donation to our food bank just prior to their big wedding day,” the nonprofit said. “The two of them have incredibly big hearts and have shown up to support not only us but many charities over the years.”

• I planned a World Cup outing for my father after his stroke.
• Navigating accessibility proved harder than I expected.
• The experience changed how I think about caregiving and independence.

The hard part is over, I thought. Our seats were around the corner. We were here to see local history in the making: Seattle, my beloved hometown, becoming an internationally recognized soccer city.

Then I turned the corner — and faced a wall of concrete stairs. I hadn’t realized how steep and narrow the climb would be. Our seats were near the top. How was my dad, with his cane, going to make it?

We’d been talking about the World Cup coming to Seattle since before his stroke. After it, I was even more determined to get him here.

My dad had a stroke 6 months ago

My dad had a stroke last December. Fortunately, he can still speak and walk, but he uses a cane now and can’t go very far. He’s lost some short-term memory, and his reaction time is slower.

He’s been working hard to recover with brain exercises and physical therapy. Still, the stroke compounded his existing mobility challenges, from a knee injury in high school and a physically taxing career as an electrician.

I’m hopeful that he’ll keep making progress. I’m also trying to accept that some changes may be the new normal.

What hasn’t changed, though, is our shared love of sports. Going to games is a celebration of our Pacific Northwest home. The stadiums are embedded in the city, offering skyline views and the best summer weather in the US. (I’m biased, of course.)

Luckily, my dad reached his seat, using the handrail to pull himself along with one hand and using the cane with the other. But it was a stark reminder of my inexperience with accessibility. I thought I’d planned our route well. I hadn’t accounted for that final climb.

My mom needed a break from caretaking

I spent hours in a digital line during the last-minute sales phase and, amazingly, scored four tickets on my credit card. My dream was to take my dad, mom, and boyfriend. But my mom had vacation plans: she’d been my dad’s caretaker for months, and was ready for a break now that he’d recovered some.

Without her, getting my dad to the game would be trickier. He hadn’t attended a big event since his stroke. My parents live a few hours north of the city, and he can’t drive unless he passes a new driving test — doctor’s orders. One of my mom’s friends thoughtfully volunteered to drive him part of the way. My boyfriend and I could pick him up from there.

But the stadium area would be closed to traffic, and accessible parking had sold out. I considered suggesting a wheelchair, but I know how much my dad values walking, even though it’s harder now. I figured we’d use other accessibility support to minimize his walking time.

The accessibility info I found online was confusing and seemed incomplete. So, while the US played Australia, I walked to Seattle Stadium from my nearby apartment. Weaving through revelers, I headed to the place listed as an accessibility drop-off area. I discovered an ADA shuttle parked there, and the operators told me that it actually started from my neighborhood. Finally, we had a travel plan.

In spite of the plan, match day still held surprises

Before 8 a.m., my boyfriend and I were on the road. The bright summer day promised temperatures in the mid-80s. We picked up my dad, then stopped to buy hydrating beverages, since he sometimes forgets to drink enough water. I started shivering in the cold grocery aisles, partly because of the refrigeration, but also because I was nervous about making sure my dad would be OK.

In Seattle, my boyfriend dropped us off at the shuttle pick-up point, then went to park and meet us at the stadium.

The walk from the drop-off to the accessible entrance was far for my dad, but at least it was flat, and he powered through. Even when we reached that final set of shockingly steep stairs, he didn’t complain. I could see that going up was painful for him. I tried to offer an arm for support, but he determinedly made it on his own.

We reached our seats half an hour before kick-off. Only then did I relax. Soon, the three of us were surrounded by the contagious joy of singing and chanting Bosnia fans as Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Qatar 3-1 in a thrilling match.

Even though navigating the stadium wasn’t as smooth as I’d hoped, it let me see how independent my dad still is. What my dad wants most is to enjoy our time together. It’s what I want, too.

• Most of the US military’s drone programs will now be overseen by a new office.
• The goal of the office is to accelerate the development of drone technology, Hegseth said.
• There are some notable exceptions, including the US Air Force’s CCA program.

Nearly all of the Pentagon’s drone programs will now exist under one office, giving its officials major power over the future of uncrewed systems in the US military.

The consolidation will accelerate the procurement and fielding of drones, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a memo, a major priority of the second Trump administration as it seeks to prepare forces for drone warfare.

Per a memo from earlier this week, the new office, called the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems, will be “the single joint integrator for all unmanned and autonomous system programs” across the US Department of Defense. DRPM-UxS’ director hasn’t been named yet, but they’ll report to Stephen Feinberg, US deputy secretary of defense.

Aside from Feinberg and Hegseth, the office will have control over a wide range of uncrewed systems, including small ones, surface vessels or drone boats, underwater vessels in coordination with DoD’s submarine office, ground robots, autonomous and artificial intelligence systems, drone swarming technology, and counter-drone systems. DRPM-UxS will also oversee the drone marketplaces that some DoD offices have recently established.

With its oversight of so many programs, DRPM-UxS can decide what drones move forward, prioritize certain capabilities or contracts over others, and cease work on specific systems.

While the organizational shift gives DRPM-UxS major authority over the future of uncrewed systems in the US military, there are some gaps. Major weapons programs that are already following a separate acquisitions process, like the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, will remain with the services.

DRPM-UxS will also be in charge of the US’ Joint Interagency Task Force 401, a military and federal government effort to counter small drones, as well as Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, DoD’s office for mass-producing autonomous drones across the military.

The new office is the latest milestone in the US’ broader push to integrate drone technologies across its military forces. It includes what Pentagon officials have called an unprecedented $74 billion budget request for drones and counter-drone systems, as well as massive investments in acquiring, testing, and fielding small, cheap one-way attack drones.

“Adversaries collectively produce millions of unmanned systems each year across all domains,” Hegseth said in the memo. “While global military unmanned systems production has skyrocketed over the last three years, the United States has been slow to field these capabilities at scale. Drones and autonomous systems are the most consequential battlefield innovation of this generation.”