I’ve been thinking a lot about quiet spaces and how I find fewer and fewer of these places available, even within my own apartment. It started with the coffee shops, art museums, and botanic gardens, and truly one cannot have an expectation of quiet in…

A group of three library patrons sitting at a table reading adamantly shush another patron who clears his throat. A man wearing the classic striped shirt of a criminal and carrying a bag marked “swag” dashes into the library, apparently about to break the silence, when the four patrons give…

A year ago, the idea I would ever involve myself in baking was laughable. My kitchen is small and not modernized. The oven is old and heats unevenly, as evidenced by the frozen pizzas that burn on one half while the other half is underdone. Most importantly, I felt, baking…

If you’re looking for ideas to write about or ways to supplement and develop your writing, try accessing some of the content available online. However, many resources that seem free are ultimately hidden behind a paywall or a subscription fee after a seven-day free trial. Companies need to make money…

I’m looking back on my old posts in Facebook from over ten years ago and finding interesting snippets, some of which seem increasingly relevant as we see the continuing attack on teachers who devote themselves to guiding students not only in subject matters but in life. For many of my…

The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing. Archilochus

Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” ~Elizabeth Andrew Studies of American volunteerism show that Elizabeth Andrew was on the mark with her statement. …

I grew up in a small unincorporated area outside of Woodstock, Illinois that is dotted with horse, dairy, and buffalo farms. …

Iceland is a relatively young landmass that sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a place where the North American and Eurasian continental plates nearly meet (but actually move apart). …