Do you know your genetic ancestry? I’m adopted, and my biological mother was also adopted, so I’ve only had a limited amount of information to go on. So recently I signed up for a 23andMe ancestry test, and I added the health test as well, just in case. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the results, and … Read more
Yesterday I was driving in the middle lane of a 3-lane road when a car ahead of me in the right lane abruptly swerved hard left across all 3 lanes to make a left-hand turn. I was lucky, both because I was paying attention and because they were just far enough ahead of me that … Read more
Every summer, several times a week ESPN will feature a clip of an “incredible diving catch” by a baseball player. Nearly every clip follows the same pattern: A player gets a slightly slow start while trying to judge where the baseball will land, then they kind of fall forward to catch the ball. They’re still … Read more
Years ago I read the highly acclaimed graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, “The Sandman.” Recently some friends started raving about the Netflix adaptation, so Megan and I have been watching it. We’re currently 7 episodes in. I don’t remember much about the graphic novel other than how each chapter was often completely disconnected from the … Read more
Unless you’re a shark or an alligator, you were born without teeth (they’re still in your gums), you grew baby teeth that eventually fell out, and ever since then you’ve had the same set of adult teeth. You might be hoping to live for 80 or 90 years, and your teeth will go through a … Read more
We watched an entertaining and informative movie this weekend called Operation Mincemeat. It’s about a deception created by the British to try to confuse the Nazis during World War II. A key part of the plot involves a photo, and I was reminded of one of my favorite elements in film and television: Photos that … Read more
A few days ago we finished watching the first season of The Bear on Hulu. It’s unlike any other depiction of a restaurant that I’ve ever seen on screen, and it often left us considerably more stressed after watching a 30-minute episode than before. But I think it’s brilliant. I worked as a server for … Read more
We recently watched an incredible documentary about the 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach who were trapped in a submerged cave in 2018. This is a jaw-dropping film. I thought I knew what had happened, but I vastly underestimated just how dire the situation was, not to mention the volume of support and ingenuity … Read more
We’re currently finishing season 3 of The Orville, which is excellent. As much as I enjoyed the humor in the first two seasons, the show really seemed to take of this season, doing what sci-fi does best: It addresses important modern questions in a futuristic setting. The stakes are also raised significantly this season with … Read more
I’ve watched a few of the Predator movies, with the original remaining the most memorable for me. When I heard the concept for Prey–a Predator movie set hundreds of years ago, with the hunt involving Native Americans–I was very intrigued, and then later encouraged by glowing reviews to watch it on opening weekend. My quick, … Read more