My wife and I take two radically different approaches to gardening.  She negotiates with Mother Nature, trying to find the perfect plants which blend with the environment.  I engage in acts of malicious horticulture, using poisons and sharp implements to impose my will upon the earth. She’s all about free-form creativity and coaxing life from [...]

I’ve seen a disturbing number of significant family birthdays and anniversaries this year. My youngest son turned eighteen, my oldest son turned twenty-one, and I turned old. My wife, annoyingly, has remained as youthful and beautiful as ever. She claims this to be the result of clean living, a good attitude and just a tiny [...]

Right after our honeymoon, my wife moved into my apartment. In theory I was in favor of living under the same roof with my new bride; in practice dividing up the living space required extensive negotiations that continue to this day. Part of the problem was the apartment itself. In terms of roominess, it compared [...]

As a general rule, I avoid any situation where I might have to engage in extended small talk with complete strangers. This includes parties, mixers, networking events and my annual physical. It’s not that I don’t like people, it’s just that I’m as well-equipped for small talk as an M1 Abrams tank is for sailing. [...]