Killing time in the return
Last year, consumers in the United States returned $743 billion worth of merchandise, which amounts to 14.5 percent of all things purchased. That’s an increase from 10.6 percent in 2020,…
Collect, believe, and wait until the time is right
In just over a month, I'll celebrate 20 years of posting on my blog without ever missing a day. That's 7,304 consecutive days of finding something to say. Not always…
Blue zones are filled with liars and cheats
Perhaps you've heard about the so-called "blue zones"—locations where humans are more likely to live longer due to lifestyle, diet, and other factors. Blue zones have been getting much attention…
“Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” – Take 3
On Friday night, my friend and fellow storyteller Jeni Bonaldo and I performed our third installment of "Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared" — a storytelling improv competition in which we…
The only thing I could do
I'm sitting in seat H1 as the lights come up for intermission for "Jekyll and Hyde" at the Hartford Stage. Mr. Hyde has just committed another murder onstage. I turn…
I found the helpers
Wednesday was a difficult day for me. Difficult for many people, I suspect. I only slept two or three hours before rising around 3:30, having given up on sleep. I…
Embrace optimism
In 1973, a man wrote to E.B. White, lamenting that he had lost faith in humanity. The author was not only a masterful letter writer but also a professional celebrator of the…
The little things. Today, especially.
Back in the spring of 2017, Elysha decided we needed cats. "I need to pet a cat," she declared. Given the political climate at the time, I understood her need…
Ideal keyboard design for the inefficient typist
Since I spend a good portion of my day on a keyboard, its design is important, especially the specific placement of the keys. I have five laptops in my home…
We forget the terrors of the past
In 1976, three armed men kidnapped 26 California children and their school bus driver. They brought them to the desert and ordered them into what looked like a massive grave…
