Tag: life

Where Have All the Readers Gone?

What’s the trait you value most about yourself? I recently stumbled across some startling numbers. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), fewer than 10% of U.S. 13-year-olds read for pleasure “almost every day.” Let that sink in. Back in 2012, it was 27%. By 2020, […]

The Rising Squirrels

So apparently, residents in San Rafael, California, are living in a real-life horror movie. Forget “Jaws.” Forget “Cujo.” The menace of the season? A rogue squirrel. Yes, a squirrel. That fluffy-tailed park mascot has gone feral and is attacking people so viciously that some have ended up in […]

Rated 14+ for Common Sense

The other night I was scrolling through my Apple TV streaming options, half-looking for a new series, half-procrastinating on actual work, when I landed on Platonic. Cute, funny show. I’ve enjoyed it. But what really got me laughing wasn’t the dialogue. It was the about page. Apparently, Platonic […]

Ghosts in My Suitcase

In my dreams,I am always packing.Suitcases lined up like soldiers,zippered mouths strainingwith clothes I’ll never wearto places I never quite reach. I set out,but the road splinters into side streets,detours,barriers that flash like neon reminders:“Not today.”And so I stumble off-rampafter off-ramp,carrying too much,getting nowhere. The ghosts wait for […]

Sorry, But Keep It Simple

What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you? So apparently, research says that if you ask for forgiveness using long words, people are more likely to believe you. Big, complicated, sesquipedalian apologies (yes, I went there) supposedly sound smarter and more convincing. But here’s the […]