I am not afraid of many things in this world. But the usual roundup of deadly creatures — like snakes, spiders, and sharks, are always on the top of my list.

I’ve seen Jaws, after all. And it wasn’t pretty. The dah-nah, dah-nah, dah-nah as the music heightens right before the attack, didn’t help. I had nightmares for months after seeing that film. And I’ve never been able to enter the ocean without a slight chill running through my body at the thought of a nearby shark swinging by for a visit.

It turns out, that I am not alone…

PETS AND SATIRE

Dear Toffee.

Are you really a dog?

I’ve never believed in reincarnation. But perhaps, I should. Because I think you might be a dirty old man.

I’ve tried to ignore the signs, but you just keep throwing them in my face.

I woke up to find you licking my face this morning. Which is a sweet gesture. For a dog. But you have the worst breath. Like a man who hasn’t brushed his teeth in days.

And your hygiene, in general, is suspect.

You drink water from the toilet bowl. You eat goose poop in the park. …

FEMINISM AND EQUALITY

Women have always struggled with their periods. Not only has bleeding been perceived as taboo in many countries across the globe, but women through the ages have also been forced to rely on a whole slew of unsavory materials, ranging from moss and papyrus to wooden sticks to keep their periods hidden and at bay.

Today, the stigma around periods has slowly begun to dissipate. And feminine products have become smaller, more comfortable and much safer.

But women in the United States are still struggling when it comes to their periods.

Why?

Because the products they so desperately need to…

POETRY

I woke today a squiggle
I want to be a line
My back is very twisted
My neck is not so fine

I tried to smooth the edges
To pull those ends apart
But when I grabbed my ankles
I gave that line a start

The squiggle she did tighten
Into an angry ball
I ran into the bathroom
But there I had a fall

I bounced right through the doorway
And landed with a sigh
I rolled across the bathroom tile
And kissed that line goodbye

For now that line is twisted At least that’s how it feels My…

SOCIETY AND LIFESTYLE

Finland has just taken home the title of the happiest country on the planet. This frosty nation with a population that could fit inside the state of Minnesota is often shrouded in the darkness between the months of November and February. In Lapland, temperatures can often dip well below freezing.

Clearly, Finland must do something right. Because winter in Finland is not what I picture when I think of my happy place.

But Finns are happy. In fact, this is the 4th year in a row that Finland has been handed this title.

According to United Nations World Happiness Report…

SONGS AND MENTAL HEALTH

Superman never made any money
Savin’ the world from Solomon Grundy
And sometimes I despair
The world will never see another man like him

-Crash Test Dummies, The Ghost that Haunt Me, 1991

Superman is our great unsung hero. He jumps off buildings each day to slog it out with the bad guys. He fights for a better tomorrow.

But there are no riches and rewards for Superman’s Clark Kent.

He could rob banks, and steal money. He could go off the rails and join Solomon Grundy. He could even slink off…

Travel. Living abroad. Travel Tips.

Some graduates seem to know exactly what they want to do when they finish school. They have their lives all planned out.

I wasn’t one of them. In fact, the only thing I knew with any certainty was that I wasn’t ready to settle down in a corporate job. After 20+ years in school, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life.

What I did know, was that I wanted to see the world. I wanted to make my mark. I wanted adventure.

And so, I found the perfect gig to allow me to do just…

EDUCATION

In 1903, George Bernard Shaw came out with a single phrase that has plagued teachers to this day, “Those who can, do; those who can’t teach”.

Woody Allen, took it once step further in his screenplay Annie Hall when he wrote,

“Those who can’t, teach. And those who can’t teach, teach gym.”

― Woody Allen, Annie Hall: Screenplay

He was, of course, making a joke. But he is touching on a sentiment that is widely shared amongst many people in the United States today. …