Paul E. Martin and I are chatting in our latest politics recap. We are talking Russia, Pence's rules around women, and the healthcare meltdown from the Republican Party. . . .

This year, my kids have ventured into the world of texting with peers. Their time on the cell phone has increased as they socialize with friends after school via the phone, and group chats abound as well. While I can appreciate their desire to connect with friends, I've also observed the danger in these texting relationships. There have already been some hurt feelings, and I see kids sometimes taking the advantage of the detachment of a screen to behave in ways they would never act in real life. . . .

This past week, the internet has been ablaze upon learning that Mike Pence has some rules around opposite-gender relationships, including a restriction on dining one-on-one with any woman except his wife. While many people find it ludicrous and have taken the opportunity to poke fun, those of us who have spent portions of our lives entrenched in evangelical circles are not really surprised at all. Not being alone with a member of the opposite sex is a standard-issue boundary for many married . . .

I feel like I've seen the FabFitFun boxes all over social media, but I've never gotten one. In fact, I've never dipped my toes in the waters of beauty subscription boxes . . . which is funny considering how much I love subscription boxes for clothing. I was pretty excited to try it out, because I really enjoy trying new products, especially for my face and hair. FabFitFun is a subscription box of full-size beauty, fitness and lifestyle products. Their boxes are valued at over $200 but retail . . .