This life is like one giant jigsaw puzzle. Some parts of the puzzle fit easily into place, others do not, and there are holes in places on your puzzle. You may have lost your job, wonder how you will pay your bills, have an unexpected medical issue, thought you would have your own family by now, or had to cancel travel plans abroad. When you get stuck and don’t know where to turn, you want to have a plan of attack so you don’t feel helpless. For some it’s natural to turn to others for help. But, if you’re independent and self-sufficient, that’s the last place you may want to go to. Asking for help is not an automatic...
If there is anything readers of this column should know after six years, it is this. I love noir. I love non-linear storytelling. I love graphic novels. I love good writers. When all those things come together it is a gimme that I will want to write about it. The new graphic novel November by Matt Fraction checks all those boxes. November is a story being told in three volumes. The first one came out last year and volume two a few months ago. I thought the first volume was amazing, but I wondered if it could continue. Volume two was even better. I believe in Mr. Fraction’s ability to tie up everything he has put in to play. The...
Time is a precious commodity. It can either be a pilot’s best friend or their worst enemy. Having the ability to differentiate between perceived time and the actual time is a key skill of a good pilot. So, when approaching an airport where the weather is less than ideal, pilots never want to be backed into a corner. Keeping as many options available is key to a safe outcome. How much fuel? Before every departure, the pilots meet up around 60 to 90 minutes beforehand to discuss the key points of the flight ahead. This includes looking at the route they plan to fly, the minimum required fuel and all relevant weather and airfield information for the destination and airfields...
Beautiful fun. (Ben Stern via Unsplash/)Jigsaw puzzles are one of those universally beloved items that can inspire people of any age or walk of life to bond and work together. You’ve probably seen many in-progress or finished puzzles on your social feeds, too, since lots of people love to show off their work. Given the range of options out there, jigsaw puzzles with the right piece count, size, and imagery can become so engrossing that their assemblers don’t notice an entire rainy Sunday has gone by. Below are some excellent puzzle options to absorb your hours.Great pick for creativity on a deadline. (Amazon/)If museums aren’t an option, no problem—bring the artwork home to you. This three-piece set includes famous paintings...
shutterstockA friend is sending me documents needed to make me the executor of his will. He does not expect to die from this pandemic but he has enough weaknesses in his body to be fairly sure he would not survive the virus if it gets to him. He is not as old as I am but he is not young either. He is clear-sighted enough to know what he must do now: stay at home. He is also clear-sighted enough to admit into his thinking the common fact of death. And common fact it is — about 160,000 Australians die in the course of each year —though every death is a particular death and no single death can be quite...
