Personal Accounts
The best worst thing
I met my friend Laura when I was 13 years old, when a neighbor brought her to our house. We exchanged home phone numbers and very quickly became best friends. Having a be... »
Finding a balance
At the start of this year, I decided I was going to live a healthier lifestyle. You know, exercise more, eat healthier, and maybe even shed a couple of kilos. I found out... »
You’ll find me running
A few years ago it dawned on me that I was seriously out of shape. My work had become more sedentary, and I hadn’t made up for that. I enjoyed exercise but never seemed t... »
Check your gauges
I killed our van. I was driving along at the peak of summer—and also at the peak of rush hour—completely lost. In the middle of crawling traffic, my air conditioner stopp... »
The wonders of our immune system
Sometimes we get sick, but most of the time we can stay healthy in spite of constantly being under attack from a myriad of harmful viruses and bacteria. For that daily mi... »
An infinite power source
Our city in South Africa regularly experiences major power issues, with up to five hours of what they call “load shedding” daily. Due to over-demand and under-supply, the... »
The tightrope
Do you ever feel like you’re unicycling on a tightrope, while juggling five flaming torches and being chased by a tightrope master with a laser gun? I do! Life is balanci... »
The umbrella
The air was heavy with impending rain as I made my way on foot through Chiba, Japan. As I glanced at the low gray clouds, I chided myself for not bringing an umbrella. It... »
To give or not to give
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The world provides enough for every man’s need but not for every man’s greed.” It’s easy to say things like, “The rich should really give to th... »
Three lives
I love biographies. Historical movies, books, and even web posts are a great way to get a bird’s-eye view of a life. Through their commendable or detestable examples, we... »
How can I make a difference?
Whenever I log in to Facebook or load a news website—or when I glance at the newsrack at the checkout—it seems there are always some really ugly things going on, and I fi... »
Be like Tip
In his book describing years of veterinary work in the harsh Yorkshire Dales of England, James Herriot tells the story of Tip, a sheepdog at a local farm. He first encoun... »