My goal here is not to attempt a feminist screed, so I have focused this list on gender-specific standards that have largely gone unnoticed. Right-handed scissors are a good analogy. My left-handed mother always winced in agony whenever she used scissors, which, in the 1960s, were designed for the comfort of a right-hand dominated world. …
Read MoreSome ideas seem so obvious we wonder how we ever lived without them. I am not talking about technological breakthroughs, like the TV/garage door/coffee maker/fan clicker, but elegant and clever ideas based on nothing more than common sense and an observant mind, the kind of ideas that make you slap your forehead and say,…
Read MoreLet’s see – for 10 years I commuted on buses, subways, or trains, at least two hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year. That’s a total of 4800 hours going to and from medical school and then my job as a health policy analyst. So of course I leapt at the opportunity…
Read MoreEvery language is enlivened by its array of idioms. Americans seem to be particularly fond of the word “shit”, perhaps because these idioms take advantage of the tension between the taboo of a body effluent and the titillating guilty pleasure of potty humor. Unlike many idioms that are based on local history, religion, geography or…
Read MoreDear Neighbor, First of all, I would like to sincerely apologize for my dog. It was an entirely innocent mistake, but I also realize how you might have misconstrued the situation. We had just arrived at our cabin after a long drive and I was taking our dogs for a walk. I momentarily lost control…
Read MoreI grew up in an atmosphere of food as fuel, though my mother would wince to hear her culinary efforts so lightly dismissed. But she was in charge of feeding five kids three meals a day, and then a separate meal for my father, who arrived home later. Our kids’ meals were simple and repetitive – hamburgers,…
Read MoreThe Genius of Birds is a book that provides a compelling tour of bird intelligence based on their navigational skills, architectural skills and vocal virtuosity. But it was the chapter on avian aesthetics that most piqued my interest. Specifically, I was startled by the description of the peacock’s tail as an “honest advertisement,” a term that,…
Read MoreOur newborn son sat in my lap as I waited at the hospital entrance for my husband to bring the car around to take us home for the first time. I thought about all the surprising professions that required a license – beauticians, private eyes, and even interior designers. Basically, any profession where incompetency may result…
Read MoreRecently we dined at a local bistro, a casual spot falling comfortably between family dining and fine dining. Very straight forward entrées – grilled rosemary chicken, grilled salmon, various pasta dishes – but I was confused by the description of the crème brulée on the dessert menu – “Creamy Madagascar vanilla bean topped with a layer…
Read MoreDear Kid (number 9 I think) on my son’s soccer team, This apology has been gnawing at me for almost 20 years. You see it was me, I was the one who slipped a lemon into your half time snack of orange slices. When your innocent face turned into a sour grimace I immediately knew that…
Read More