From the category archives:

Thinking out loud

For years I have reluctantly taken bags and bushels of over-produced tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, gourds, and various melons and assorted garden by-products from my neighbors and friends who happily planted a garden in the early Spring — albeit without a plan — all giddy with the thoughts of fresh vegetables at their table. [...]

{ 3 comments }

What is the Y-word?

by Rufus on August 26, 2010

A couple days ago, I was listening to some cable news show, I think it might have been MSNBC, ranting on about Dr. Laura’s use of the n-word. The content of the show is not important. What is important is that we have reduced our discourse of fairly substation discussions of our culture into “baby-babble” [...]

{ 1 comment }

When my son was just shy of his fifth year, we found ourselves in an Old Country Buffet on a Saturday afternoon. For those of you not familiar with the format of the all-you-can-eat-for-one-low-price buffet, these places usually have a lower price afternoon service that did not include carved meats and a higher price evening [...]

{ 41 comments }

Today is Bastille Day. I realized this morning that I have a ton of short stories from my childhood just collecting dust. So, I thought I’d share one a year until I run out or die, whichever comes first. For those of you who know me, I am half French, descended from the mighty Pelletiers [...]

{ 3 comments }

Making the perfect cheeseburger

by Charlie on July 3, 2010

This weekend, millions of people across the United States will be firing up their grills and plunking down hamburger patties and grilling them. And those millions of people are all cooking cheeseburgers the wrong way. In my feeble attempt to save your taste buds from yet one more badly cooked cheeseburger, I offer you the [...]

{ 3 comments }

While listening to John Boehner’s interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on his description of the Tea Party protests, the following occurs to me. Even if not entirely true, it is the perception that is most prevalent. The RIGHT shows up with guns and signs, backed by the Second Amendment and attempts to force others to [...]

{ 0 comments }

The real tyranny in America

by Charlie on June 17, 2010

I watched MSNBC Chris Matthews’ The Rise of the New Right yesterday. I learned almost nothing new about the Tea Party and the conservative movement, but Alex Jones’ quote, “We’re in deep tyranny. Deep, deep, deep…” keeps ringing through my head. This man is afraid and wants to make everyone else around him fearful. I [...]

{ 2 comments }

When the TSA started holding airports and airlines hostage almost nine years ago, my tolerance for driving distance increased from two hours to ten. With only two reliable flights out of DAY to anywhere — the first one and the last — what used to be a same-day trip has now expanded to a minimum [...]

{ 12 comments }

Somewhere in America (or even perhaps in a lot of somewheres) a teenager slipped out of her room through the window last night to meet her boyfriend who drove a less-than-safe car to go to a party that her parents said she couldn’t go to. There were probably a lot of reasons for her parents [...]

{ 3 comments }

This is the last time I’m doing this

by Rufus on May 24, 2010

I got my hair cut last week and as I was getting up from the chair, Jerry asked if six weeks out would be good. “God willing,” I said and he turned to me and asked, “Why do you always say that?” “Because one of these times, we will make an appointment and I will [...]

{ 0 comments }

I’m a fan of Simone Grant‘s blog Sex, Lies and Dating in the City (don’t judge, just read her blog, ok?) Yesterday, I was watching FOX because that is where the Simpsons are and I saw the promo for Glee. And for a fraction of a second, they showed a cut to a pair of [...]

{ 3 comments }

So the other day, I bought this really huge container of mini cream puffs at SAM’s Club. The first thing I did when I got home is cracked open the lid and popped a few in my mouth. Delicious. I’m pretty certain they are fat-free and calorie-free as well, though I am scared to look [...]

{ 2 comments }

Well, in all honesty, we’re not best buds yet. We’re not even Facebook friends, but that is all I’m shooting for anyway. Back in November of 2009, Gary got himself elected Mayor of Dayton, Ohio. I didn’t vote for him because I couldn’t as I live in Englewood.* Apparently they have laws here and Dayton [...]

{ 7 comments }

May all your ideas be weeds

by Rufus on April 14, 2010

Take a good look at the photo above. What do you see? Most of us see a dandelion, a vile weed that should be ripped up, poisoned and killed, stomped out and cursed at. And I did too until just the other day when it occurred to me that I have been looking at dandelions [...]

{ 6 comments }

Lagom

by Rufus on March 17, 2010

Lagom. It is a Swedish word that does not have a direct English translation, but it means kinda like “enough” as in “just enough” or “there is enough for everyone.” But, even those examples are not quite right, but language being what it is, it will have to do. Over a span of about a [...]

{ 1 comment }

I love Cesar Millan*, but he has made my life hell, along with Emeril LaGasse, Mike Holmes, and Alton Brown. But those other guys are a completely different — though not unrelated — post. Maybe later. You see, Cesar has made almost everyone else in the pound an expert on dog behavior with an endless [...]

{ 3 comments }

Risk as a downhill ski run, Bode Miller style

by Charlie on February 22, 2010

I was reading my Wall Street Journal today, page after page of blah, blah, blah and then I came across this story on page B8. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I am not following the Winter Olympic Games nor am I really a fan of Bode Miller. I didn’t even read the article, [...]

{ 3 comments }