The older I get and the more fiction I write, the more I outline, the more I think about plot before I dive in and plunge too far.

Far too often, we fathers avoid the subject because it's so awkward. The subject I am referring to is: buying gifts for women. This is an area where many men do not have a clue. Exhibit A was my father, who was a very thoughtful man, but who once gave my mother, on their anniversary, the following token of his love, his commitment, and-yes-his passion for her: an electric blanket.

I was really bummed when I got to the last one of Tony Hillerman Navajo detective books.

Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.

The Soviet Union at this time was being run by the Communists, a group of men fierce in their dedication to wearing hilariously bad suits. Their leader was Josef Stalin (Russian for "Joey Bananas")

We believe that electricity exists, because the electric company keeps sending us bills for it, but we cannot figure out how it travels inside wires.

If the security personnel do their job properly, they just might cause you to miss your plane, thereby possibly saving your life.