Fishy Career Choices

My 9-year old son talks incessantly about wanting to be a marine biologist when he grows up. My wife and I, wanting not to be outdone as supportive parents, have gushed repeatedly, “We will accompany you on all your ocean expeditions and help you catalog mollusks and invertebrates.” In…

Exploding Salsa

My son, along with 30+ other children of varying talent, had to perform at a piano recital last Saturday; food was promised at the event, so I skipped lunch. On arrival, the first thing I found out was food would be served only after the recital was over. The recital started at 3 PM and a quick…

Gypsy Lee: Episode 2 — The Relationship Matures

Originally published at https://all-thumbs.blogspot.com/2008/06/gypsy-lee-encounter-episode-2.html?view=classic on June 7, 2006.

Toilet Troubles

I may have an advanced degree in engineering and work in technology but I’m all thumbs when it’s time for the common handyman tasks around the house. For me, there’s no such thing as a simple fix. Take my last attempt to fixing something that has no electronics, no circuits, no batteries: a faulty…

Teaching Kids Is Not Child’s Play

If you are like me, you’re probably heard this concern more than a zillion times: American school children are falling behind in math and science, putting our country’s competitive future in jeopardy. Of course, nobody talks up our kids’ strengths: spitball accuracy…

Gypsy Lee: Episode 1 — Making her acquaintance

Our family just got back from a short vacation in Costa Rica. While I could pen a thousand words on the beauty and biodiversity of this Central American country, a more intriguing topic is the complex relationship that my wife, son, and I developed…