I recently came across a Roald Dahl story called The Hitch-hiker, published in 1977. Dahl is best known for his children’s books, but — and this isn’t so well known today — he also wrote books and stories for grownups. The title of the story caught my attention because in my younger days, I hitchhiked […]

Grilled Chicken Yakitori We are in the heart of grilling season and this Japanese-inspired favorite will be sure to please everyone! No Grill? No Problem! Follow the direction to bake the chicken. Serve with grilled veggies like zucchini, summer squash ad whole grain brown rice. Makes 8-10 skewers Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs chopped into 1 -2” […]

I was an adult before I learned an important thing about novels: they don’t have to be read straight through from beginning to end without stopping. Up until my mid-20s, that’s how I read. That’s how I thought everyone read.I’m not a fast reader, so a 60,000 word novel would take me close to five […]

Having been born into modern Car Culture, most of us fail to appreciate the profound merit of the humble bicycle. True, some equate it with happy childhoods, some appreciate its exercise value, and some derive significant recreation value from it, but what about primary transportation? Donning our climate crisis lens, we note that transportation generates […]

Tuna Pasta Salad Pantry staples, minimal ingredients, and hardly any cooking makes this a summer healthy favorite for lunch or dinner. Serves 4 Ingredients: 8 oz. pasta, cooked 10 oz. tuna, liquid drained 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced 1 cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup red onion, diced for the sauce: ½ cup Greek yogurt ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 ½ tablespoon lemon […]

Fish Tacos with Lime Sauce Love the freshness and ease of fish tacos, especially in the summer. This recipe serves quite a crowd, but can easily be reduced. Makes 12 tacos Ingredients: Fish Taco Ingredients: 12 small white corn tortillas ¾ lb tilapia 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1/8tsp black pepper 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil ½  Tbsp unsalted butter Fish […]

Labor Day is a good time to think about the jobs I’ve had. Among the good ones were being a demolitions expert in the Army, working for a nonprofit data firm, producing sports shows at a radio station, and working as a newspaper reporter. In contrast, here is a sampling of some not-so-good jobs, mostly […]