This morning, hidden in the usual infotainment glob that passes for news, I heard an intriguing story. A group of teens at a Texas high school have declared today a “No Makeup Day”. The say they want to focus on inner beauty and they are encouraging their female classmates to go bare-faced for a full 24 hours. What struck me was that the girls explained that they...

Every morning, I get into the shower and when I step under the water for the first time, I think “you’re so lucky, so incredibly lucky.” I have clean, hot water – all I want, whenever I want. I can splash like a bird in more water than some people see in a year. I live indoors and I have heat and air conditioning and plenty of food. I’m lucky. So stinkin’...

It seemed like a harmless and soothing thought: “by the time I’m thirty, I’m gonna have my shit together…” When I was 20, I went to a baby shower hosted by the sister of the mom-to-be. At the time, I was unsettled and angry. My career goal of greenhouse management had been ripped out from under me by severe allergies to all the chemicals used in greenhouses...