Over the years, I’ve told my son at least a thousand times, “It’s a puzzle, figure it out.” Borne of necessity, I used the phrase to promote action in my child, given that his first response to difficulty, traditionally, was to either give up or make a half-hearted attempt. Because of his laissez-faire attitude, my…

Muskrat mating is so sensational that songs have been written about it. Fans of 1970s pop music might be familiar with a certain ballad, written by Willis Alan Ramsey and popularized by bands like America and Captain & Tennille, about two anthropomorphic muskrats falling in love. Though you probably won’t find breeding muskrats “nibblin’ on…

At almost every turn, the landscape looks different. Times have changed, people have changed, and cities have changed. Nothing looks like it once did. Historically, humans aren’t fond of change. Change is inevitable, but growth is not.  There is a chance to pause and to put your feet on solid ground this week. To catch…

As a kid, I couldn’t pay attention to the reality of the classroom’s chalkboard world. My pencil was always scribbling from its warped source of reality, fueled by hours and hours of maniacal Saturday morning cartoons—a happy place vividly logged under nostalgic memories in the farther recesses of my data banks. Back in the day,…

It’s proving ever more challenging to drag a group of people into a movie theater to see a film that isn’t either a children’s movie translation of a video game, a Disney reboot of an animated classic that was better off the first time around, or the latest Marvel retread. But if there was a…

This week, we will explain the “tax” in Tax Increment Financing (TIF), clarifying what the “tax increment” is, how funding flows and who covers the cost for infrastructure improvements. Importantly, TIF does not create new taxes on our residents. Tax increment and the flow of funds First, it’s key to understand that in order for…

Steve Turner, 57, a small-business owner with 30 years of experience in the trade of auto and marine upholstery, is on a mighty mission to encourage more participation in the trades, especially by young people who want to work with their hands. In 2017, Turner, a fit and animated then 50-year-old, turned a slogan on a…

In 1973, John Darley and Daniel Batson conducted the Good Samaritan experiment at Princeton University’s Theological Seminary, where participants were studying to become religious leaders. The parable of the Good Samaritan is about a traveler who is beaten and robbed and left half dead alongside the road. Two separate religious leaders pass by and avoid…

My friend, Diana, told me recently that she likes to try on clothing before she buys it. I totally agree! However, that option is becoming less available as brick-and-mortar stores close. Internet shopping seems to be the preferred method in today’s world. Scrolling through a worldwide selection of clothing is hard to pass up. My…

I woke up ready to go for my regular morning walk—just a quick jaunt out the door for a few miles to get my circulatory system up and going. Usually, I just throw on the appropriate footwear for the weather—this week, it ranged from flip-flops to snow boots—and throw a coat over my pajamas. I…

The older I get, the more solitary my life becomes. This isn’t a sad or deliberate thing but rather an unconscious choice to lean into more peaceful, less dramatic activities. I’ve always loved team sports, parties, holidays, concerts, sporting events, etc. – undertakings that involve large groups of people. I thrived off these activities throughout…

When the winter snow melts and the spring rain begins, vernal pools appear on the landscape. These ephemeral wetlands form in depressions in forests or ridge lines and offer essential breeding habitats to amphibians and invertebrates, including wood frogs, spotted salamanders, and fairy shrimp. Because vernal pools dry up in high summer and are disconnected…

Your 2025 trial period ends this week as Mars returns to the sign it started the year in. The long and arduous journey of retrogrades has now come to completion. This week brings an opportunity to hit the refresh button. This isn’t just about starting over; it’s about starting better. Don’t discount the fact that…

Getting a comic delivered by mail rules! A couple of days ago, “Batman: Court of Owls,” the graphic novel, flew straight into my snail-mail inbox hot off the reprint press of comic book land—perfect timing for this week’s column. Shout-out to Jon M. from Connecticut for sending it my way—and for getting me back into…

Stop by the Clear River Tavern in Pittsfield this Friday, April 18, at 8 p.m. to catch Nate Martel and his four-piece psychedelic rock band Outer Stylie. If you can get there early, Space Mooves & The Cosmic Cows kick off the evening at 6 p.m. Outer Stylie started in 2008 at UMass Amherst. Joining…