My math skills are so completely useless that this question comes up all the time: If the average American is carrying $15,000 in debt, and I’m carrying none, does that mean that someone out there has to be carrying my $15,000? I really should have paid more attention in math class, but in my day, this stuff just…

When you can get Roma tomatoes on sale, try Oven Roasted Tomato Spread.

“I think the weight of mediocrity really becomes undeniable when you’re in the latter half of your twenties.”

One of the benefits of growing older is your bullshit detector gets very accurate. More and more, I see the inherent flaws in technology. Also, your sense of wonder and amazement has been dulled by endless variations of the same thing.

I work at a university. Our office houses a collection of over 15,000 VHS tapes, many are irreplaceable. We installed VHS decks in every classroom (150 at last count). When DVDs came in, we replaced the VCRs with VCR/DVD players. Now, as these stop working, we are pulling them completely. We can still broadcast our…

That just scratches the surface. Pick up a copy of “If It’s Purple, Someone’s Gonna Die” by Patti Bellatoni. A great book about color in film. You’ll see meaning and subtext in every movie you watch. Changed how I read movies.

Spreadsheet user here. Every quarter. I’m on the downward slope (10 years to “I’m Outta Here F*ckers”).

Semifreddo. There are a billion recipes out there but the easiest is 1 pint heavy cream whipped to sitff peaks. Fold in 1 jar of lemon curd a bit at a time.. Pour into a saran wrap lined loaf pan. Cover tightly with more saran and freeze.

After the first batch, take that stock, add more chicken and veg. Cook again, 20 minutes.

My doctor at Kaiser cannot/will not discuss marijuana in any form as medicine. Until the mainstream medical community steps up their game, most of us will have to figure it out for ourselves.

So here I am, with my Mom, getting ready for Passover. This year we’re having chicken soup with matzo balls and I ask Mom for her recipe. She pulls out her 60+ year old pressure cooker. “Chicken parts, onion, celery, carrot, water. 20 minutes. Repeat.” Repeat? Yes. Use the first run as the base for the second run. The…

Me too. Love having someone read me a story. I’m sleeping my way through 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Wonderful. If you can find Tim Robbins reading The Great Gatsby or Sissy Spacek reading To Kill a Mockingbird., you are in for the best night’s sleep.

Which leads to a question: How do I get those people to use headphones? One guy watches sports TV all day, which makes my ears bleed; another “shares” his music collection with his neighbor.

Streusel coffee cake mix made with apple juice instead of water and a chopped tart apple stirred in. Blow your mind.

Want a dairy free version? Add a couple of slices of torn white sandwich bread into the soup. Stir until the bread dissolves, purée and strain. I can’t not have some at all times. America’s Test Kitchen nailed it.

Oh Gordon, please go potty before the camera starts to roll.

Bestest hash browns ever? Buy Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns. Most grocery stores stash them by the eggs. I buy them when they’re on sale-$2 a bag. They’re par-cooked, so the starch is set and they cook up brilliantly. They are the secret to my world famous potato latkes. Extra bonus, easy portion control.

A good science writer is someone who can explain why the information they report is important.

I’ve had a Filtron cold water extractor for over 30 years. I love the hell out of it. Not only does it make great coffee, it also works for tea.

I’ve had a Filtron cold water extractor for over 30 years. I love the hell out of it. Not only does it make great…

1940-Warner Bros. “The Letter” with Bette Davis. Opening shot, tracking through a Malaysia Rubber plantation. Moonlight bathes the thatched roofs, across the multi-story open worker’s quarters, swinging hammocks, palm fronds. Lap dissolve to reveal the veranda of the main house. A shot rings out. A man stumbles onto…