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Beware the Ides of March
Today is the the Ides of March, observed on March 15. Its origins are in the ancient Roman calendar, and it has become one of the most famous dates in the history of the world. Though originally a routine marker of time in the Roman civic and religious calendar, the day became immortalized because of…
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Why February Has Only 28 Days
At its simplest, most basic level, a calendar is a way to organize time. Now, we could take that statement and go “deep,” having a philosophical discussion of the concept of time itself. However, after last night’s cavalcade of mirth and misinformation known as the State of the Union, my inclination this morning is to…
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Where does the name “California” come from?
Have you ever found yourself wondering where the name “California” for the United States’ 31st state came from? State names like Virginia, which was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, known as the “Virgin Queen,” or Florida which was named by the explorer Ponce de León in 1513 during the Easter season, known in…
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My love letter to writing
Writing is one of humanity’s oldest and most transformative inventions. Long before the printing press, long before the Internet, and even long before bound books, people felt the urge to mark symbols onto stone, clay, and parchment. Those early scratches were more than just records of grain or trade; they were the first attempts to…
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The ultimate insider’s guide to Palm Springs
You all know I live in Palm Springs, and you may think you know “what” Palm Springs is. A city in the desert. Yes. Renowned as a getaway for the rich and famous. Yes. Winters like the mildest Spring in other parts of the world. Yes. Summers like the surface of the sun. Yes. A…
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Janus, the two-faced god
Time has come to think ahead to the new year. And that means resolutions. But did you ever stop to wonder why? If no, or if you simply can’t be bothered, you’re in luck! That’s what you have me for. I’ll do the wondering and write about it, and you can get on with whatever…
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What is the magic of Christmas?
Whether you are Christian, and particularly if you are not, the Christmas season is hard to miss. It generally runs from late November thru to early January. Ostensibly, it recalls and celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the town of Bethlehem, thought by his followers to be the long-awaited messiah or savior, prophesied…
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A brief history of pink
We have a gentleman (ahem!, and I use the term loosely) that works here at my residence who is very enamored with the color pink. I often taunt him about it. And he retaliates by assaulting me with the color any chance he gets. One December, I awoke to find that overnight he had filled…
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Fruits and Nuts
The other day, someone asked me how I come up with the topics I write about. I answered honestly: I don’t know. Obviously, current events are a source. But ultimately, a topic must be interesting to me. I do this (blogging) for fun, the way some people play golf or collect stamps. If it was…
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Enough!
Ah, November. It is the beginning of so much in the Coachella Valley. It marks the official start of what we call “the season” here in Palm Springs – a period of six months, more or less, of heaven on earth: highs in the mid-70s, rarely a cloud in the sky, maybe a raindrop or…
Your mileage may vary.