Life Style & Travel

UNITED STATES—I am in the final stages of a major novel, my first, and both my bonds with teaching are eroding and emotional tensions are mounting. I am under great tension albeit, creative tension, which is very good, sort of like good cholesterol is good. But this makes me prone to uncharacteristic outbursts and sudden tenderness, at the most...

UNITED STATES—When a seed germinates, the roots know that they want to go down, and the new stem knows that it wants to go up. Going up sounds simple enough. Stems just go towards the light. How do they know where the light is while they are still under the soil? Well, new stems go upward for the same...

UNITED STATES—Food, it is the one thing that we all consume on a daily basis. It’s something that is needed for survival; however, I really want to pinpoint the conversation about what food is being purchased. Things that should be consumed versus those food items that are not so good for the body, but we cannot resist. Let’s discuss...

UNITED STATES—Denise took a deep breath and faced her husband’s letter. The brief pause was quite enough for her daughter, Antoinette, to get her nose in her phone and check in on her media. “You didn’t post anything about this. Heaven knows we aren’t supposed to be reading this. It’s marked only ‘in the event of my death.’ And Jerry...

UNITED STATES—It is not science fiction. It involves neither ninjas nor turtles. Cultivars really are mutant plants that can only be propagated by cloning. The word 'cultivar' is a portmanteau (two words combined into a single word) of 'cultivated' and 'variety'. Unlike other varieties of plants that can be perpetuated by seed, cultivars must be cultivated by unnatural techniques...

HOLLYWOOD—I’ve talked about my gaming past some time ago. Like I told so many people who ask me why I no longer play video games? Well, the first would be the fact that I’m an adult, and the second would be life is so busy where is the time. However, I have started to carve out a small time...

UNITED STATES—Written on an envelope in dad’s barely readable, backward slanting script that, “Only to be opened in case of my death.” “Well.” Denise said to her oldest. “Well, what?” answered Rusty. “Let’s do it.” They proceeded to violate a trust, curiosity got the better of them after having been delivered this piece of mail by the patriarch himself. They disobeyed his will...

UNITED STATES—Who do they think they are?! This ain't 'Caddy Shack'! They have such attitude! Gophers move into our gardens and lawns, take what they want, and build their messy volcanoes of loose soil. They do not care how much work we put into our gardens, or how much we spend on nice plants, or how much we crave...

UNITED STATES—Recently, I had a houseguest who asked, “What do you have planned for today?” and I burst out with my ideas about plans instead of burying them in silence. “Well, I usually have plans for five things,” I said. I feel a bit on the spot when someone asks, “What do you have planned for today?” I feel more...

UNITED STATES—Cooking for many of us is something we dread, for others it’s something we love, and for those in between rather you like it or not, you have to eat so get used to it. I’m someone who knows my way around a kitchen, and while not an established chef, I’m able to care for myself without relying...