For as long as I can remember, I’ve found the mystery of what goes on inside or beneath the surface of mechanical devices incredibly compelling. I don’t know exactly when the mystery of how things work first began to captivate my attention, but I clearly recall an early incident when the stimulating effect of that curiosity was unmistakable. My grandfather had gone to see a friend about some kind of tool and decided to take me with him. The boredom of adult talk in the kitchen was broken by the need to go out to his workshop. Glad for the change of scenery, I was happy to tag along.
We opened the door to a building that by, today’s standards, would be about the size of a small garage. I was expecting to see an array of mechanical tools and farming stuff as I
made my way inside behind the adults, but no such scene awaited. I was immediately stunned by Continue reading
natural habitat could be problematic, so my buddies pooled their knowledge and gave me advance warning about what to expect. “Yankees,” they said, “dress funny; they don’t eat grits; they don’t know how to 
challenging places for me. If the worn-out plots, sexual exhibitions, and ridiculous themes coupled with Hollywood’s characteristic spiritual and moral vacuum wouldn’t be enough to keep the ticket money in my wallet, not being able to have the popcorn would do the trick. Movie popcorn, along with things like pizza, assorted fried animal parts, and funnel cakes have been moved to the “no longer allowed” list. It isn’t just a nutritional issue. My wife, who takes care of our bookkeeping, says 
