Author Archives: chick

I solved the NYT’s Mini Crossword in 13 seconds, beating my old record of 16 seconds. I found a few dozen violets blooming in the yard. That’s great, because violets are great. But it’s also bad, because I wasn’t watching … Continue reading →

After several days of whirlwind car shopping last week, my husband and I bought a car. It’s a 2020 Lexus ES 350 with about 15,000 miles on it. While not technically new, it’s a baby in car years, and we … Continue reading →

Part of trying to make a NYT-worthy crossword puzzle is taming the word list that came with the computer program. A crossword puzzle, like any other creative endeavor, should be a reflection of its creator. Some people may be OK … Continue reading →

I still haven’t kicked the habit of writing context-free notes that float around for months, years even. Sometimes I do remember what they’re about, though. Recently I found one that said “Flaming purple star witch or purple louseweed,” and I … Continue reading →

The subtleties of spelling and pronunciation in French can be difficult. For example, it took me a while to realize that “au-dessous” and “au-dessus” are not the same. They are in fact opposite (one means “below” and the other “above”). … Continue reading →

It may sound silly, but I feel more like myself since I started studying French again. Maybe it’s because of that fascination I had for it as a child. It’s something that’s been with me always, and something that I … Continue reading →

As a child, I loved the sound of the French language. I begged my mother to teach me simple French phrases and how to say the alphabet in French (I remember writing the alphabet down like this: ah, bay, say, … Continue reading →