Bad Humor: Why We Laugh When We Shouldn’t and Why it’s Okay (Sort of) Laughing at the Wrong Time You know those times when you absolutely should not laugh? When the tone is somber, subdued, reverential? Think of being at a religious ceremony or the family meeting when you know you’re getting in trouble as a kid. Well, you really have no business snickering…

The Scoop on Valentine’s Day and White Day in Japan My First Taste of Japanese Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day in Japan is not the same as Valentine’s Day in the Western hemisphere. I learned this the hard way. …

How my Journey with Japanese Started As I sat in the airplane ready to fly to Sapporo, Japan, I had a panic attack. It dawned on me that I knew no Japanese other than a few phrases. Konnichiwa (good afternoon), Sayonara (goodbye), and Hajimemashite (nice to meet you) would only…

Apparently, I have too much time on my hands, because I have been pondering my dog and cat’s ability to communicate. The following are my perhaps not-so-earth-shattering observations. My cat has better expressive language. He has a certain meow to say “I’m hungry” and another one to say “It’s freezing…

“We learn in the struggle. If you deny the child the struggle, you deny them their growth, which is its own reward.” –Lara Cannon SOS for ADHD Send in the experts! Our teenager has ADHD, and it’s high time we get some proper professional help. …

Is there gas in the tank? Is there money in the bank? What should I make for dinner? Is this lottery ticket a winner? Living in the Future “I can’t wait until Vancouver, B.C.!” I proclaimed in my childhood diary. “Only 52 more days til Europe!” I shouted. I grew…

Nov. 26, 2021 I seem to have slowly developed a fear of being separated from my people. It’s a very strange and specific fear that has only become obvious to me in the past few years. I think I can unpack it. Bear with me. I love being alone —…

by Megan Taylor Stephens November 2021 ‘Making a living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life.’ — Maya Angelou Career Questioners My friend, Dorothy Davis, up and quit during the pandemic. She had a demanding job in an intense line of work: Head of Marketing in the tech…