‘Tis Samhain Eve. All Hallows Eve, for you Christians in the audience (and I know you’re there because one of the smarmy variety came by to troll and is getting thoroughly trounced by my beloved heathens – my dear Catholic heart sister NP should be along soon to administer the coup de grace). Halloween ranks …

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Obama’s grandmother may not make it to Election Day. He’s spending the next couple of days with her, and then sacrificing their last precious moments together so that America has a fighting chance at a future. “We’re all praying and we hope she does, but one of the things I want to make sure of …

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This week has been an absolute treasure trove of political wit. Kick back, pour your favorite beverage, and enjoy! We begin with an important Public Service Announcement. Just as it’s important for parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of drugs, it’s vital that kids talk to their parents about the dangers of …

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One of the most exciting things about moving to Seattle was the Japanese Garden at the Washington Arboretum. I used to have a fascination for English gardens. There was a great one surrounding a house in Prescott that I used to drive by on my way home. There’s just something about those that make you …

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Fuck the chain restaurants. Gimme local. I love those independent, locally owned and operated places that kick the giant’s asses. The ones that you discover by accident, or through a friend, or just because it was on the way and smelled too inviting to pass up. There are four in particular that, if I could …

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Seeing as how I’m trying to hold on to my sense of humor whilst coughing and sneezing, let’s talk about comedy films. I myself am a sucker for British comedy, first of all. High school is a blur of Monty Python quotes: my friend Ray had the Black Knight scene from The Holy Grail memorized. …

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Just to be clear, here: I’m no sports fan. I don’t follow sports. I don’t participate in those sports days at work where you’re supposed to wear your favorite team’s jersey and compete for sports-related prizes. If the talk turns to sports, I immediately tune it out. Dead boring. But even a disinterested person such …

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Autumn isn’t mine. The damned leaves are already turning. Whole branches have blushed red or are cowering yellow. When a stiff wind blows, a few premature demisers make their final dive into the pond. And it’s bloody cold already. That means winter’s coming, with its short, gray days and its icy rain. The rare bit …

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Television is, for the most part, supremely overrated. Back in the days before this blog and a roommate, when I could throw on the boob tube and leave it running in the background, I used to avoid the networks like bubonic plague. Coworkers would come in blathering about Survivor and American Idol. It astonished them …

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