Have people evolved much? We humans possess remarkable powers. We can walk, run, swim, and even fly (if we hold a boarding pass). Other creatures aren’t so adaptable. Fish can swim but walk poorly. Birds can fly but often misjudge altitude and end up as hood ornaments. Some snakes can squeeze you to death… but who wants an affectionate reptile?... READ MORE >
Hey, it's the 2024 baseball season! For those who don’t know this sport, it requires a glove and a moving bat, but it's got nothing to do with vampires. It takes place on a "diamond," or four bases arranged in a square. There aren't real diamonds involved, so players won't get distracted by bright stones. The pitcher stands in the... READ MORE >
Do you remember elementary school recess? At our school, we ate lunch right before playtime. We’d line up in a in a single file to walk through the food line. The plate lunch often included gravy-laden mystery meat—beef or possibly bird—plus mashed potatoes and something green or yellow. That lunchroom had only two major rules: throw away food trash, but... READ MORE >
Do you remember elementary school recess? At our school, we ate lunch right before playtime. We’d line up single file to walk through the food line. The plate lunch often included gravy-laden mystery meat – beef or possibly bird – plus mashed potatoes and something green or yellow. That lunchroom had only two major rules: throw away food trash, but... READ MORE >
My friend Lisa says that there are more books on self-help than anything else. Lisa should know. She eats right, dresses well, and talks sweeter than a candy salesman at a dental convention. She’s been to more seminars than most caterers. And she’s always looking for another body part to get fixed, tucked, expanded, or reduced. Lisa separates her improvement... READ MORE >
Many towns now prohibit citizens from housing jungle animals. What, exactly, is a “wild pet?” That depends on your town and what its council considers more dangerous than a roving bachelor's party. For instance, some communities term boa constrictors “wild.” In others, they’re considered “non-poisonous reptiles with a lethal hug.” That reminds me of my great-grandmother, who visited us on... READ MORE >
I’m jealous of people who find their life’s work early. For some, the discovery starts in elementary school. Ray was a very likeable, outgoing guy. He got along well with everybody, including the teachers. The rest of us tried to stay under a teacher’s radar, praying they would not call on us. We never raised our hands unless we wanted... READ MORE >
I keep a file folder near my desk that holds newspaper and magazine clippings. Some days I read about things that happened last year. Sometimes I read about inventions from 1975. Yesterday I read about the Middle Ages (not mine, but the world’s). Those folks suffered for nearly 1,000 years. and those were the rich ones. What if you had... READ MORE >
The phone rings several times a day at my “office,” a place under the stairs where we used to store cleaning supplies. I equipped it with a TV tray to hold my computer, and a carboard box to house my “research materials.” My hope was to attract customer calls for writing assignments. But each time the phone rings, the caller... READ MORE >
When I’m at an event with people I’ve never seen before, I depend on my business card for salvation. Even if you don’t have a job, a card lets you to display credentials to get one. You never get a second chance to make a first engraved impression. If Bob says he spends his life daydreaming, you may think he’s... READ MORE >
