David Mitchell's latest book, Utopia Avenue, is a moving and sometimes-surreal romp with a late-1960s London pop/rock/folk band.

As the first book in my TIME Magazine 100 best book reading challenge, I read The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow. Actually, I read it in 2014 and found this review in my files. I'm posting it here and moving on to the next book.

Jo Ann Stover's book, If Everyone Did, is a funny kids book, but some of us adults may benefit by its message as well.

One thing that I found frustrating when learning French was having to type a bunch of accents on the keyboard. Using the international keyboard is really not too hard, and after a while you can easily commit the keys to memory. But at first, it was très difficile so I created a cheat sheet. Here it is, along with some advice about using the international keyboard and a refresher on French accents.

It's a likable notion that learning a foreign language might help stave off cognitive decline and dementia in our senior years. But is it true? Studies suggest positive benefits to bilingualism in old age but are generally small and inconclusive. Still, there are intrinsic benefits to learning a second language.

Avatar: The Last Airbender has had a recent surge in popularity lately with its rerelease on Netflix. A live-action series is in the making which can only be better than M. Night Shayamalan's flop. But do we really need live-action remakes of animated shows and movies that were already great?

Star Trek: Lower Decks is a new animated series that steams on CBS: All Access on August 6. Will it become a valued addition to the Star Trek Universe or will it be a cringe-inducing experience for the trekkie?

A Review of Padak: Swimming to Sea. The "fish in a tank" scenario might remind you of a particular Pixar film, and you might catch a glimpse of clownfish, but this bleak CGI-animated creation is not for kids, the faint of heart, or someone who wants uplift.

One of my favorite podcasts on the subjects of Zen, Buddhism, or Meditation is The Zen Studies Podcast. Here's my review.

The combination of sweet raspberries, creamy chevre, and the smokiness of toasted pine nuts are amazing in this simple green salad that's perfect for Summer -- or anytime!

The combination of mango and jalapeño might seem odd but you just might like it! And smoothies may just be an ultimate concoction for the healthy non-foodie!

Here's a recipe for Mexican Sugar Skulls. Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with these colorful skulls. They're not to eat but are fun to make and make great October decor.

The word "clotted" sounds kind of...off. But if you really want to serve your tea English-style, you need this fattening, heavy stuff. Serve it with scones and some preserves or lemon curd and, of course, some tea.

Reflections on a Joss Whedon quote about food and laughter.

Even if you're not an avid furniture painter, getting a secondhand electric fireplace and chalk painting it yourself to get a sort-of-French-country look isn't too difficult.

Did you know that, though some people see getting a cat as a possible solution to a rodent problem, sometimes they can be the cause of the problem? When a mouse popped out of our toaster, we knew we had an issue. The culprit? Our cat!

This is part of a post I wrote years ago that was saved to another website that I'm reclaiming and re-finishing. It's a little reflection on how we can be thrown off by various "holes" in our lives and how we can climb back out of them.

We've all experienced loss recently, in one form or another. Even if you are among the more fortunate, making yourself feel guilty for feeling your feelings is, ultimately, unhelpful.

This is a cartoon that I drew back in about 2011 or 2012, I think. Thank you WQ for saving it for me! Here's what inspired it.

Zafus, or round meditation cushions, are easy to find commercially now. But if you like to sew and want to make your own, here's a pattern that I dredged up out of my archives. It's old, but it remains a good instruction sheet to sew your own.

One of my favorite podcasts on the subjects of Zen, Buddhism, or Meditation is The Zen Studies Podcast. Here's my review.