Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist asked for more: "Please, sir, I want some more." More of gruel, a thin, lackluster, watery porridge that was made by boiling grain in water. This gruel doesn't sound appealing or tasty at all. Why did he want more of it? Because he was hungry and tired of not getting enough…

I perk up during fall not only because of the colorful trees but also because of the freedom to let frail leaves wither. During the season, I have a few trails I try to walk through to enjoy the trees from different vantage points. But when you're in a new home, those vantage points morph…

I wanted to watch Verity, a movie about a writer starring Anna Hathaway, but didn't. Because it seemed too scary. I specifically avoid scary movies since I believe movies reprogram our minds and nervous systems, so why would I make my nervous system more scared than it already is by real life? But Verity is…