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As a stress reliever or a shipping aid, it's way more fun than that foam popcorn

Pop! pop! pop! away. Break out the bubbly in recognition of Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day on Monday. Duck brand suggests thinking of alternate uses for the cushiony plastic wrapping material, such as making a bubble-wrap shower curtain.

RICHARD WALKER/ RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM

There's even a Web site devoted to the stuff. At www.bubblewrap.com, you can play a timed bubble wrap popping game. Our complaint: The popping bubbles have the bassy sound of knocking on wood rather than the snap of the real stuff. Turn on your computer mute button if you don't want the boss catching you, but in case he/she does, use the stress relief excuse.

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Calm in renovation chaos

"This Old Dump: Renovate Without Decking Your Mate," by Laura Jensen Walker (Revell Books)

You and your sweetie took days mulling over paint chips to pick the perfect color, but right after you've made the final brush stroke, your mate decides he hates it.

With her new book, "This Old Dump: Renovate Without Decking Your Mate," Laura Jensen Walker feels your pain.

More than a how-to book, Walker has also collected stories from friends who've lived through the agony of having no bathrooms, paid for disastrous floors and dealt with contractors who don't return calls.

If you're about to take on a project or are in the middle of a makeover, pick up a copy, be prepared for the toll the chaos will take on your relationship, and know you're not alone.

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