My mother country Germany boasts of five seasons – yes, you are reading right. Spring, summer, fall, winter, and – Fasching (pronounce ‘fuh-shing) or Carnival. This fifth season starts on November 11 at 11:11 h and ends on Ash Wednesday, a season beginning and ending with parades in costume, stage shows, parties, and the burning […]
The IRS and Bookkeeping Basics
The first time I was audited I was worried about perhaps paying an additional amount. The IRS agent in my basement office flat out told me, “Oh, you’re going to pay more. I’m just here to figure out how much.” I told him, “I’ve been pretty careful.” He then picked up a file of receipts […]
Chili Thai Restaurant Review in University Place
We were hungry for Thai food. It was Sunday afternoon. We had only been to the Chili Thai once before. Mostly what we remembered was our granddaughter being introduced to Thai food and loving the fried tofu. We walked into a lovely, but totally empty restaurant. We chose a window seat. I thought perhaps we […]
I Don’t Like Little Dogs
I don’t like cats and I don’t like little dogs. They feel bony and fragile. As a youngster I had a collie-German Shepard mix, Pal. He looked like a collie, but he wasn’t bright blonde, just a little duller. He also had a shorter snout like a German Shepard. I got him as a young […]
Letter: Finish this sentence
“I think local communities are best situated to bring together the appropriate stakeholders to figure out the right policies for their local communities, that is why I think it is time for . . . .”
The Serious Side of Humor and Laughing
Bad situations are no laughing matter . . . or are they? Laughter can be used to relax people, diffuse explosive situations, and put people in a receptive mood. In the HBO television series Band of Brothers, Easy Company is constantly training. A private asks for permission to speak. Lieutenant Dick Winters grants him permission. […]
Westside Story – Caring For Kids
Most of my life I arranged it so I had a walk-a-round job; you know, wandering around with a clipboard, looking official, and gawking at stuff while saying things like, “uh huh” and “oh-oh.” Some pointing is needed to make it look official. No one ever knew who I was or what I was doing. […]
Sweet, Succulent, and Healthful in Nine Ways
Have you ever eaten a dried date? My earliest memory of eating a date was in the fifth grade at Park Lodge Elementary in Lakewood. I opened up my lunch pail, packed by my mom, and there were several dates. Each one contained vanilla icing and a walnut half. I loved them. This would have […]
Foldscopes Redux – Beginning Microbiology at Age 65
This is the fourth and final article featuring Richard Dorsett’s trip to Asia to distribute Foldscopes, the fully functional microscope, which users construct by origami principles. The Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 funded the Foldscopes for adventurer and hiking and biking enthusiast Richard Dorsett: Some years ago, I bought two microscopes from the Washington surplus […]