Intermediate to Advanced Level Driving in southern California is a test of your stamina, reflexes, and intuitive understanding of the concept of flow. You are locked into several lanes of bumper to bumper traffic, all roaring along at speeds (if we’re honest) much faster than the 70 mile an hour speed limit. We’re all…
At some point, it happens
Cold weather’s here, and my living room doors won’t close properly. There’s a nice, crisp breeze blowing through the house. Ice is forming on the inside of my windows. And last week, we already had an early, light snow! Something’s got to give. So this holiday week, workers came to install new doors (ones that…
Our hidden selves
It’s a crisp fall morning. I drive my kids to school as usual. A clown is standing in front of the school directing traffic. She laughs and dances and mimes with the kids as they cross the street. It’s a very happy moment that makes the kids look forward to a day at school. On…
Death adds emphasis to things
Around this time of year, we turn our thoughts to ghosts and spirits and skeletons— the world beyond. Since we’re already thinking about, er, death, let’s take a look at phrases that use it. Death, as we all know, is pretty final, at least on this end of things. So the word is sometimes used…
Why we like to scare ourselves
Way back in 1981, the extremely prolific horror writer Stephen King wrote an essay speculating about why Americans crave horror movies. He should know: he’s successfully terrified us with his books (many made into movies) for decades. Here’s King’s original essay (I warn you, even native English speakers have a hard time trying to follow…