Category Archives: Life in the United States

“C’mon (come on), it’s time to go. We’re gonna (going to) be late.” “Just a second (wait a short time), I can’t find my keys.” “Just a second” is a common time phrase. It’s also the title of an interesting … Continue reading →

I recently read an article that got me thinking about my elementary, junior high, and high school days. An article in the Los Angeles Times reported on a rash of (many instances of something happening in a short period of time) … Continue reading →

I’m a dog guy. I mean, I like dogs. Always have, probably always will. I got my first dog when I was two or three years old. If you count the dogs our children have had while they were living … Continue reading →

Coit Tower isn’t very tall – only 210 feet (64 m). In fact, it’s short compared to some of the other buildings on the San Francisco skyline (the shape made by hills and buildings against the sky). But it stands … Continue reading →

A big shot is an informal adjective to describe an important person in an organization. When we say “big” we don’t mean they are physically big or tall.  But some new research suggests that people who are big shots really … Continue reading →

In some ways it was an unusual musical event. In 2009, popular young Chinese pianist (a person who plays the piano) Lang Lang joined Herbie Hancock, an African American jazz pianist, and the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall … Continue reading →

Last week, I talked about five things I was thankful for in the year 2011. With 2012 upon us (here; with us now), it is of course time to make some New Year’s resolutions. Here are a few of mine: … Continue reading →

This is the last week of the year – the week between Christmas and New Years, between December 25th and January 1st..  This week many of the articles you read and television programs you see will fall into (belong to) … Continue reading →

One of the more famous works of fiction (novels or stories) written in English about Christmas is Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. In the story, the main character (person), Ebenezer Scrooge, is taken by a ghost (the spirit of a … Continue reading →