Travel Safety Tips

It's always a good idea to check with the Department of State to learn about travel safety issues

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that I am a fearless solo female traveler. The bad news is that I am a fearless female traveler. I used to be fearless to the point of taking foolish risks, until a few years ago, when I was camping on the island of Kauai … Read more

Too Much Time On My Hands?

My Dad says I have too much time on my hands. I regularly send him emails with links to interesting articles found on the Internet. My latest email contained a link to TED.com, an acronym for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. TED started out as an effort to bring together people from those three worlds. Since … Read more

New Year’s Resolution Test

Yes, I made a New Year’s Resolution. But instead of the ones that everyone breaks, like losing weight or exercising, I decided to make a simpler resolution. I promised myself that, from now on, every day will be either a good day or a great day. Now, I’m not a Pollyanna. I know that difficult … Read more

Everyone Needs Love

Louis, the giant Pacific octopus who resides at the Blue Reef Aquarium in the UK, was given a Mr. Potato Head as a Christmas present. He is so attached to it that he attacks the net that aquarium staffers use whenever they try to fish the toy out of the tank. According to one staffer, … Read more

How To Cross A Street in Vietnam

It seems a simple thing, crossing a street. But my idea of how to get across a busy street in the U.S., whether on foot or in a vehicle, is significantly different from methods employed to cross streets in other places in the world. For example, take a look at this video showing how to … Read more