A ghostbuster, pop culture fanatic, and an artist - obviously I wanted to feature him.

So we met up in a corner of a Barnes and Noble, sadly not over coffee, and listened and talked about his many passions, learning very quickly how interesting he is. Now, you don't have to meet up with him to learn this, as I think his art shows it just as well. 

Jiao zi (dumplings, 饺子) have been an integral part of Chinese culture for as long as anyone remembers.

Our driver, Emilio, and our cultural guide, Antonio, kept glancing at their watches and speaking in quick, hushed Spanish as they navigated the packed streets of downtown San Jose. At first, I thought their thinly-masked concern has something to do with the swarms of subcompacts and mopeds zipping around the tour bus, but even as we cruised up the mountain highway, past lush coffee plantations, jungle river valleys, and mist-wrapped peaks, I could see their worry increase. When we got stuck behind a slow-moving farm truck, their stress became palpable. 

Fires and floods, wars and famines, political uncertainty all across the globe: it is a time of change. Within those shifting circumstances, it can be helpful to remember the power of connection, and the power of music to help make and renew connection. Connection can renew hope, too. Here are music ideas to explore with those thoughts in mind.

I see it all the time. People plan incredible journeys and then come home not having had a good time. The problem? They don’t travel smart. If you’d like to get more out of your travels, follow these tested (by me) guidelines. You’ll thank me later.

If you love to travel – and are a teacher – have you considered teaching overseas? It’s a wonderful way to combine doing what you love, and being in a new location. Many teachers are interested in finding teaching jobs in Europe – it’s such a popular place. You’ve got a plethora of cultures, relatively close proximity to many countries (great for travel), languages galore, and (my personal favorite) excellent food. 

Have you taken a river cruise? It's an easy and slow way to see a country or area - and make the most of your time. River cruises allow you to take a journey that most won't ever experience - and visit some of the world's most important cities, located right on the water. Paris, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Budapest - all of these important historical cities developed because they were on the water!

How to take photos of the beautiful northern lights.

I've shared some Northern Lights photos from Norway here on snsvs, and was asked to share my photographic techniques.

It's a cold, rainy, blustery fall day here in Michigan. Immediately, my thoughts turn to warm, comforting Irish recipes. Yes, I remember many cold rainy days in County Kerry, and eating the best Guinness Beef Stew, accompanied by that lovely classic Irish Brown Bread. Here are two recipes that I love to make.

For decades, I had a first day of school. Elementary, middle, high school, university, and then teaching high school; late August meant a ‘close’ of camp, early September meant the ‘unofficial end’ to beach season, and then it was back to school. That new outfit, that new backpack, and the jitters of what’s to come all became rolled into one - a first day of school. Amidst all of the crazy and looking forward to the unknown, there was a new beginning. Does everyone have this? How does this ‘beginning’ foster itself for those who don’t have that ‘back to school’ scenario?