My grandchildren chose their Halloween costumes weeks ago because, like everything else, if you don’t grab them when they first appear in the store, you don’t get what you want. You could end up being Aquaman or one of the lesser princesses, or (shudder) no princess at all. Kids love to dress up. Watch a little girl put on an Elsa dress. It’s transformative. When we grow up, … [Read more...]

I will miss Queen Elizabeth. I didn’t know her personally, of course, but her reliable presence was comforting in a strange sort of way.She was always there in her brightly colored outfits (saying she “must be seen to be believed”), shaking hands with well-wishers, accepting small bouquets of flowers from children. She seemed, I don’t know, nice, like she was the type … [Read more...]

OK, I am still a little bit confused about this Metaverse thing. I promise you, I have listened as intently as I know how, kept my mind open past the point when it would have ordinarily slammed shut, and still, my question is … What???I think I get the “why” part. We’ve all had days when relocating to an alternate universe sounds like just the ticket, but so far, I’m not … [Read more...]

My granddaughter has been working on a nature patch with her Girl Scout troop. One requirement is to identify five trees by their bark. By their leaves, I might have had a chance, but by their bark? I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t been much help. You’d think I’d be better at it, given the number of trees that have stood faithfully in my back yard lo these … [Read more...]

My grandchildren and I watched “Zombies 3” this past weekend. I was grateful for the sequel if for no other reason than it meant I would not be hearing the soundtrack from Zombies 2 on repeat whenever we were together in the car. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, let me fill you in a bit: In Zombies 1, zombies leave their isolation and become part of the human … [Read more...]