The Word “Lady,” Part One
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person in the Midwest who uses the words "woman" and "women" instead of "lady" and "ladies." Am I the only one who learned during the 1980s that "lady" is euphemistic and sexist? Historically, the terms "lady" and "gentleman"...
I Live with Annoying Creatures
I enjoyed much of my Labor Day weekend, but not all of it. Saturday was nice, but on Sunday Ozzie developed a fear of the back of our building. Apparently there was evil outside our back door and he would bark himself into a frenzy over it. He's usually a silent dog,...
Maybe Vegans ARE Better Than Me
photo lifted from http://madtreehouse.com/?p=2861 NPR's recent story, "Do Vegetarians and Vegans Think They Are Better Than Everyone Else?" reminded me of other articles that have discussed a possible link between vegetarianism/veganism and self-righteousness. I think...
ID photos Attached to Emails – Yes, Please!
At my workplace we use Microsoft Outlook. Recently we upgraded to a version that can attach your photo to your emails as a kind of visual signature. All staff have been encouraged to voluntarily submit a head shot that will be uploaded to the system in the next...
Life with Prosopagnosia 2
Want to see if you have face blindness or prosopagnosia? Go here and take a test. It won't definitively tell you, but might give you an idea. I need lots of extra time to memorize just one face (like weeks or months). Until I finally get a face down, I rely heavily on...
Life with Prosopagnosia
Dear Jennifer, It was nice to meet you the other day. Again, welcome to your new job. I like working here a lot. I’ve been here four years and hope to be here for about 15 more. Please keep in mind that I have a condition called prosopagnosia which means I don’t...
“In Praise of Depression”
Thanks to Jess Young for directing me to an article published on TheRumpus.net called "In Praise of Depression." I might be able to get behind the idea of praising depression, but I didn't quite follow all of Katherine Sharpe's argument, although I liked her...
Living with Depression
I get the opposite of what many people get. Seasonal Affective Disorder hits during the colder months when there's less light, but those aren't my worst months. My worst months often happen in the summer. Some of my most serious depressions have started in June, July...
Pit Bulls Don’t Have Great Digestion
For those who have been following the story of our new dog, here’s an update (for those who haven’t been following the story: we purchased Ozzie from a shelter in Sept. 2011. He’s a 49-pound, black, pit bull mix who’s four years old, but acts like a puppy). Hey...
DINKs (Double Income No Kids)
I said, "Hey, Bob. It's time for back-to-school shopping and we still don't have kids." Bob replied, "Okay, good. Let's keep it that way." "Okay."
My Native Language Is Still English
I envy non-Latino-looking Americans who learn Spanish and receive congratulations for it.
Health Benefits for Women Go into Effect August 1, 2012
I have a signature on my personal email that was particularly appropriate when I emailed this information to friends. It reads, "You can't cure families; you can only prevent them."