“That’s when things got real.” Things have taken a sudden turn for the worse. The exciting part of a story is about to begin. And if you don’t believe that reality is entirely real, there can be a whole world to explore in that saying, like a story within a story. Which kind of goes …
You’ve heard the one about the flight attendant who was supposed to work on United Flight 175 on 911? You know, the flight that crashed into the South Tower of New York’s World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001? Elise O’Kane kept trying to switch to flight 175 because it suited her schedule better, but …
Something must have gone wrong. Lots of people are on their way to the margins. They feel out of sorts. They can’t quite put their finger on why they feel out of sorts, they just feel that way without an explanation. It’s like in the movie, The Matrix. Blue pill, red pill. Aside from the …
Life can be challenging. It would be great if it weren’t, but no matter how many labor-saving devices we use, how much money we earn, or how lucky we are, there is no escaping how difficult it can be to be alive. We read in history books about what our ancestors had to endure. How …
Here’s a day in the life of someone. It’s always the same: falling out of bed, rushing to the shower, throwing clothes on and grabbing coffee, not getting enough sleep, and maybe hardly eating. No one looks up at the bus stop, their fingers on their phones, texting or talking inanely to unseen people. At …
An old saying is, “To err is human, but to crash takes a computer.” No one says that anymore. Computers don’t crash. Instead, an online service is “temporarily unavailable.” At one time, when you used a computer, you were called a “computer user.” This makes no sense now. Phone plans have us buying a new …
Atheism and a lottery ticket have something in common. A lottery ticket can make you dream of millions, while atheism reminds you of what you will lose. Many of us live like atheists, even when we believe in God. God doesn’t have much to do with our lives, and it’s not for want of trying. …
Remodeling a kitchen is usually not a do-it-yourself project. Fixing broken appliances and installing plumbing are things some people do. Many of us don’t attempt these repairs for apparent reasons. Tradespeople are fortunate. They deal with known visible quantities. If a plank of wood doesn’t fit, wishing the problem away will not make it the …
Joe’s backyard burgers are the best! They’re so juicy and yet crusty on the outside, too. The barbecue needs work. It’s rickety and a little on the rusty side, and the grill was only scraped and not cleaned properly. But Joe knows how to flatten those burgers just right, so as the hamburger fat hits …
Have you ever been somewhere and found yourself instantly cringing? You don’t want to look around. Or maybe you do. Someone is yelling at the top of their lungs at someone speaking with a calm, rational voice. You can’t hear the person’s words, so you wonder how it will end. But it doesn’t end, and …