Around this time every winter, I start feeling like the cold weather is never going to end. Spring will never come. The rain will never stop. The trees will be eternally bare. It's like a kind of seasonal amnesia takes hold of me, and I forget that "this too shall pass..."

Fortunately, the seasons change whether I expect them to or not. And even ( Read more... )

Even though summer's on its way out, I'm still feeling a decidedly beachy vibe in the air. I recently spent a week in retreat camping on a mountain, and despite my best attempts to stay sun-protected, I came back with a sunny glow that looked...well, healthy. Now, I'm well aware that even the healthiest-looking tan is still sun damage, so I don't ( Read more... )