Cleaning ashtrays was not my favorite part of the job. But this was back in the day when everybody smoked – outdoors, indoors, even while shopping – and by closing time those ashtrays were pretty full. They weren’t really ashtrays – more like vertical aluminum cylinders about the size...

Life is a journey without a TripTik®. That might make sense to you if you are old enough, or if you’ve ever been a AAA member. If it doesn’t make sense, let’s just say it is very different from a triptych. But I digress. The salient point is that...

I would love to see the resumé of François de La Chaise d’Aix. If such a document ever existed, it probably would have included tasks such as: teach the gospel of Jesus, minister to the masses, absolve sins, manage acolytes, etc. But no doubt the Jesuit priest’s most important job responsibility...

First the disclaimers: I am a total musical snob. Also, I am almost totally ignorant when it comes to some forms of music, such as classical, jazz, or country (in the latter case, I am purposefully and willfully ignorant. See, I told you I was a snob.) Now, on...

In my pre-marriage, pre-kids days I hung out at Seattle’s Green Lake a lot. One day I was captivated by a small group of people sharing a spinning disc, sending it back and forth, each person attempting some nifty catch, throw, or trick before passing it onwards. Turns out...