I've been running at full speed for ages. Last week, I took off on a road trip that included lectures in several cities. Getting ready for the trip was so stressful I was losing hair that my post-menopausal self can ill afford to lose. And then, hours after finishing my first two events, a call came from home. Our dear old one-eyed, diabetic cat was being rushed to the … [Read more...]

We’re not in the market for a new home, but my husband and I enjoy visiting open houses for sale in our neighborhood. This morning we toured a tiny but charming bungalow a few blocks away. Beautifully presented, it had been updated in a way that respected the vintage of the house. It was inspiring—exactly the kind of home tour I normally adore. But I couldn’t wait to leave … [Read more...]

Over coffee, I asked Jonny his plans for the day. He detailed a quest for some particular hot peppers he needed for a new chili powder recipe, followed by warfare with the gophers that have taken over our back yard. Hot peppers and war? I’m just writing about Aries today; he’s living it. I have to marvel at these gophers. The soil in our area is expansive clay, and it’s … [Read more...]

A classic Twilight Zone episode tells the story of seemingly benign aliens who have come to earth and pledged their help to mankind. Indeed, one of their seminal texts is entitled "To Serve Man." Imagine the dismayed surprise of the humanoids who, having clasped these aliens to their bosoms, belatedly discover that the book is not a paean to intergalactic relations, as they'd … [Read more...]