What’s the most eye-catching opening line of anything you have ever read? I like to pick a work at random and just read the first line to see how interesting it sounds. “Once upon a time…” just doesn’t cut it anymore. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was
I see Forbes magazine has published its billionaires list again. http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/list/ What would it be like to have that much money? I have no idea myself. But twice in my life I’ve gotten a glimpse of wealthy lifestyles. It’s like some careless person has left the door ajar, and I got to peek inside. The first
I was reminded again today that there are two sides to every story. In this case it was whimsical, but the point is valid nonetheless. I had taken one of my infrequent substitute-teaching jobs in elementary and noticed a book in the classroom, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by A. Wolf. Did
If you could travel through time, would you? Which way would you go, forward or backward? What if you went forward and the world no longer existed when you arrived? If you went backward, why? Right a wrong? Warn of an impending disaster? Fix a relationship? Change history? Make yourself wealthy? Today I was catching
Intellectual property is near and dear to my heart. The sad fact is if you have a really good idea, someone will try to steal it. I remember when I lived in Southern California, I took a one-day course on how to set up a business (more out of boredom at that time). A woman
Despite a 20-year career in the Air Force, I find at this stage of my life I loathe violence. It could be because I have been to war myself (Vietnam). It could be that there is just too much violence in our culture, from fiction (TV and movies) to fact ( the nightly news). Or
Some time ago, I decided my life’s ambition should be to become so important that I would never have to wait on anyone again. Boy, do I have a long way to go. Actually, my President’s Weekend trip to Southern California for the Disneyana Fan Club Expo went pretty smoothly. And the 80+-degree temperature upon
Last year when I turned 65 I was amazed to be inundated with junk mail from insurance companies about Medicare supplemental insurance. Which got me to wondering, how did half the world know my age? Something similar is happening this year. I decided to set up my writing career as a business and registered with
When an object disappears from a toddler, what’s the most logical explanation? The Earring — An Original Story An earring was missing. The young mother had frantically searched her daughter. Then she searched the bed. Then her daughter again, her hair, the folds in her pajamas, her slippers. Next under the bed, then the entire
In honor of the Super Bowl — I have been a football fan all my life, especially the pros. Credit/blame can go to Jim Brown, the Cleveland Browns’ great running back; I grew up watching him run and have been hooked ever since. I still think he’s the greatest running back ever to play the