Finding The Good in a Horrible Cat

Call me crazy, but I wish to adopt Lux. I’m referring to the 22-pound Himalayan cat who recently made headlines by angrily charging his Oregon owners, forcing Lee Palmer, his girlfriend, his 7-month-old son and their dog (yes, the dog) to take refuge in a bedroom, call 911 and request that law enforcement deal with the temperamental Tom.…

Planets Can Be Positively Perplexing

I still remember the mnemonic as if it were 1972 and I was sitting in fourth grade science class. My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas. The first letter from each word aided countless primary school kids like me in memorizing the nine planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and…

A Requiem For My Snowblower

The wake was beautiful. Fresh flowers littered the temporary dais; a steady stream of mourners came and went, shivering in the garage while filing past the remains. I stood next to my recently departed companion, holding back tears as well-wishers hugged me and offered words of encouragement. “How wonderful that it waited until spring to…

A Dad’s Prom Checklist

Clad in a tuxedo, the young man dotingly eyed my daughter as she walked slowly toward him. When they met, he took her hand while I looked into his eyes and firmly said, “Take care of my little girl.” And then, following a flurry of photos, they were off to prom. Welcome to high school…