Some people are just naturally lucky. Take Kyesha Smith Wood for instance. By now most of the country is familiar with Wood, the Alabama mom whose unsupervised kids behaved poorly in a movie theater, much to the chagrin of fellow movie patron Rebecca Boyd, sitting one row in front of them. Boyd politely tried to…
DetailsI figure it’s been about 40 years since the Easter Bunny hopped through my house with a basket addressed to me. Like Santa Claus, the floppy-eared mammal tends to focus on the 12-and-under set. But I have a message for this holiday creature, who delivers candy-filled eggs and gifts to my children each year while…
DetailsAs a frequent hotel guest, I used to look forward to flopping down on my freshly made bed, resting my head on up to four pillows and feeling, if only for one evening, that I had nestled into the lap of luxury. Now I feel as if I’m wedged under the armpit of guilt. Darn…
DetailsPresident Obama may no longer be a candidate for public office, but you’d never know it judging by the recent White House schedule. Yes, it’s tradition to trade zingers with other politicians, as Obama did at the recent Gridiron Club banquet in Washington. But, prior to that, perhaps in an effort to refine his comedic…
DetailsI grabbed a stool at the Madison, Wisconsin tavern. Even though the temperature hadn’t climbed above single digits all day, I had a cold beer on my mind. Gesturing to the numerous taps, I asked the bartender the draft selections. “Maibock, Lady Luck, Fat Squirrel, Nightfall, Snug Oatmeal Stout and Golden Booty,” she rattled off.…
DetailsThe diagnosis? A torn retina. The eye surgeon’s orders? Non-negotiable. No flying for three weeks. “But I have a show on the East Coast,” I pleaded. “Cancel it.” “Driving?” “Out of the question.” Long pause. “What about a … train?” “I’ll allow that. Bring a companion, just in case.” So, with my temporarily worthless American…
DetailsMy immediate family huddled on a couch in the funeral home’s parlor room. My wife and I held hands while my daughters stifled urges to check their cell phones. A box of tissues sat on the coffee table. None were needed. Not yet. A kind-looking man emerged from a small office. “Greetings, Mr. and Mrs.…
DetailsIt takes very little to improve my mood during the dark, uneventful days of winter. Being recognized on social media always does the trick. I get positively giddy when someone “likes” my column on Facebook; a new LinkedIn request puts a broad smile on my face, even as I prepare to encase it in a…
DetailsWhen it comes to Monopoly, the French are having all the fun. And American parents, like myself, are envious. To mark the board game’s 80th anniversary, toymaker Hasbro, the game’s manufacturer, has loaded real money into 80 games and shipped them all over France for some lucky French game buyers to find. It’s an ingenious…
DetailsEvery Monday following a Super Bowl, I wake up feeling conflicted. Yes, guilt pangs coarse through my body following my decision to gorge myself on snacks with artery-exploding names like “Cheesy Buffalo Wing Layered Ranch Dip” even though I promised myself before kickoff that I would eat, at most, one bowl of turkey chili and…
DetailsI always reserve the dark early months of winter for some early spring cleaning. Maybe it’s because I’m on a roll after throwing out assorted Christmas boxes, gift wrap, decorative tissue and holiday lights that stopped working somewhere around December 14. Most likely it’s because there is nothing else to do when you live in…
DetailsThe next time you are traveling through Oregon and spot a zebra finch, or what non-ornithologists call “a bird,” it’s best to stay away. The creature may be drunk. In their attempts to understand the relationship between alcohol and speech impairment, researchers at Oregon Health and Science University recently chose to ply the birds with…
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