The first thing I think about when I wake up most mornings is the fact that I’m tired.

Oversized houses, like oversized cars, seem to be a particularly American fixation.

Sense of smell, of course, is only one of those dog qualities that can't be replicated or improved upon. I've been researching dogs in warfare for my book about 'Rin Tin Tin,' and I've read many accounts of their heroics: carrying messages through battle, alerting troops to enemy planes, and even parachuting behind enemy lines.

We do a lot of bird-watching up in the country, but we almost never have a chance to people-watch. There simply aren't enough human beings up here: there is nowhere you can park yourself with a cup of coffee and observe the species on parade.

Why, I wonder, should the popularity of a news story matter to me? Does it mean it's a good story or just a seductive one?

I love Japanese design and fabrics. I also love people who make clothes for mass consumption but do it well and cleverly.

A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder.