Monthly Archives: December 2017

This post isn’t very cheerful or Christmasy, but we’re living in fascinating times. How will people vote in response to the new tax bill? A year ago, in the wake of Trump’s stunning election victory, it was in vogue to … Continue reading →

Happiness is good health and a poor memory. —Ingrid Bergman Do you have any memories that it would be better to forget? Do you have any that you treasure? December 21, 2017  

December 20, 2017  

Matthew Petersen, a nominee to the federal judiciary, has withdrawn from consideration days after a video clip showed him unable to answer basic questions about legal procedure, the White House confirmed Monday. Petersen, nominated for a seat on the U.S. … Continue reading →

Here’s a short happiness quiz. Were there any surprises for those who took it? December 18, 2017

December 17, 2017  

Doing either too little or too much can lead to the same symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, appetite loss, memory impairment, and insomnia. —Harvard Medical School, Retirement blues: Taking it too easy can be hard on you Well, yeah. That’s … Continue reading →

Average air temperatures were so high last month at a monitoring station on the north coast of Alaska that computers rejected the readings as flawed. But there was nothing wrong with the data or the instrument that recorded it. Rather, … Continue reading →

Andy took advantage of the good weather — sunny, no wind — to put the Christmas tree on the roof yesterday. He will start turning it on about December 18, shut it down after Kaitlin and Torben leave after the … Continue reading →

Good night, sleep tight. Don’t let the fleas bite. Our family said that a lot when I was a kid. But whenever I said it after I married, Andy would say, “No! It’s not fleas, it’s bedbugs.” I stuck to … Continue reading →