The Sunday before last, I had the opportunity to enjoy a little southern hospitality in one of the most beautiful cities in our nation- Charleston, South Carolina. Affectionately called “the Holy City,” Charleston is home not only to historic landmarks and amazing restaurants, but also to over 400 churches, some dating back to the founding of Charles Towne in 1670. One of those churches has been d...  Read More

I remember when going to church was the norm. Friendships were formed at church. Good parents brought their children to church. My mother told me I should meet the guy I would marry at church. (Sorry Mom, I met him at Penn State- We Are!) When you moved into the neighborhood, even before all the boxes were unpacked, you found a church. I know that I am dating myself… but many of you who read this...  Read More

Consider a situation in which two undergraduates are hoping to get the last spot in a specific graduate school program. Their grades are comparable, but one is best friends with the Dean of Admission's son. Who gets that last spot? It’s who you know… Consider a new job position open at a prestigious company. Two final candidates remain. One candidate may have a better educational background and s...  Read More

Where will you be on Monday, April 8th at 3:23pm? The weather ap predicts a clear day in New Britain, PA, with a gentle breeze and temperatures in the low 60s to welcome an event that will not come again in North America until May 1, 2079. Step outside Monday, anytime between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. You will experience the development of this rare phenomenon, with the height, or perhaps the dark, of th...  Read More

Were you there…? That haunting question, from one of the oft sung hymns of holy week, brought me back to a family trip years ago to the Swiss Alps. There we fell in love with Lucerne, a quaint, picturesque city in the heart of the Swiss Alps, centered on a lake with ducks that dive deep into the water for their food. Those looking for an adventure can take a cable car ride to Mt. Pilatus for stunn...  Read More

On March 12, 2024, a barge carrying 200 tons of rice, flour, lentils, and canned meats left Cyprus. It took three days for the ship, the Open Arms, to tow the barge 210 nautical miles across the Mediterranean Sea to a makeshift jetty constructed out of rubble off the coast of Gaza. The goal according to Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen: “to establish a maritime highway of boats an...  Read More