This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. “The best part of the present house is the veranda,” the U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes journaled in 1873. “But I would enlarge it. I want a veranda with a house attached.” I share the late president’s opinion. A wooden veranda measuring over 100 feet wraps four … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Two years ago, my neighbor bought a package of honeybees online as well as a beehive. The bees arrived healthy and active. But shortly after spring started, the bees vanished. Jeff said he didn’t see any evidence of dead bees nearby. It was as if the whole … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Congratulations to Malia Obama. She’s made it through the constant observation that began with her entrance to the White House in 5th grade. Both Malia and her 8th grade sister, Sasha, have gracefully stayed the course without acting out and remaining close to their parents. Malia, an excellent … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. This post is a tribute to a young democracy that has brought the world great writers–and a fantastical amount of readers. India’s population of 1.2 billion boasts a literacy rate of 86% in cities and 71% in rural areas. Inside India, twenty major languages are spoken and read, and a … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. Perhaps you have heard about the unexpected drama in the US presidential primary races. Are you surprised, shocked, or startled? I’ve been getting a sick feeling each morning when I pick up theWashington Post and read news about violence at rallies, hateful statements, and the rest. But … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. A few decades ago, when I was on a father-daughter trip to India, I came fact to face with my future. Not my sweet husband (although plenty of people I met on that trip offered to find me one). That fateful evening in March, 1989, I suddenly … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. People routinely denigrate the press for spreading falsehoods and looking for scandal. In recent years, many have traded in newspaper subscriptions for free online blogs where bloggers write pieces that are rarely fact-checked or vetted. Internet media is often all about enjoyment. Therefore, I’ve been surprised to see … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. The Internet has long been the bane of parents and teachers observing middle school kids learn to write papers. You can probably imagine how many times I’ve told my offspring to go to the library, because Googling something does not always get you an academically vetted answer. … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. In Hawaiian, the ‘Iolani bird is a heavenly hawk. Queen Emma chose it as the name for the Anglican school she founded for Hawaiian and mixed-race boys in Oahu between 1863 and 1870. Approximately 150 years later, the renaissance royal is gone but not forgotten. Many institutions … Read more
This post originally appeared on Murder Is Everywhere. I shouldn’t be in Hawaii right now, watching the waves roll in and basking in sunshine. The only reason I’m here is because I’m a worrier. In 2014, I began the application process for an artistic residency at the Iolani School in Honolulu. I worried I wasn’t going to … Read more