07 Jan 2002, 10:51 a.m.

When I was but a lass, in my senior year…

When I was but a lass, in my senior year of high school, I took Advanced Placement World Literature with Lynda Nahigian, and we had to perform a graduation requirement called the Senior Project. Each …

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07 Jan 2002, 10:51 a.m.

In the preface or epilogue to paperback editions of best-selling…

In the preface or epilogue to paperback editions of best-selling books (e.g., Ender's Game, Iacocca, The Gift of Fear), authors oft say something like, "I never expected that I would get thousands of letters from …

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07 Jan 2002, 10:50 a.m.

Gavin de Becker can't stand local TV news. In…

Gavin de Becker can't stand local TV news. In The Gift of Fear, he rails against its sensationalism and fearmongering and faddiness and generally low standard of reporting on about three separate instances in the …

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07 Jan 2002, 10:49 a.m.

Thanks to a very pleasant and helpful DMV employee named…

Thanks to a very pleasant and helpful DMV employee named "Dan," I have made an appointment to take my driver's license behind-the-wheel exam this Thursday afternoon. Observation: I could have gotten an appointment for the …

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07 Jan 2002, 8:10 a.m.

In Jalalabad one can get bootlegged LOTR tapes. Dubbed…

In Jalalabad one can get bootlegged LOTR tapes. Dubbed or subtitled? Letterbox or reformatted? Where's the Afghanistan branch of Consumer Reports when you need it?

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06 Jan 2002, 22:22 p.m.

Dave Barry Does Windows. I met Josh Brockman via alt.fan.dave_barry.…

Dave Barry Does Windows. I met Josh Brockman via alt.fan.dave_barry. And now he goes to Washington University in St. Louis and I have no reason to learn about golf or racing cars and passionately wish …

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06 Jan 2002, 20:47 p.m.

With my current haircut, I resemble the character of Anjali…

With my current haircut, I resemble the character of Anjali (Kajol) during the first half of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, before she dons Indian garb and gets boring. Tomboy Anjali, critics (Leonard and me) agree, …

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06 Jan 2002, 20:35 p.m.

Leonard: "If you have a big enough lever, the whole…

Leonard: "If you have a big enough lever, the whole world looks like a fulcrum."

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06 Jan 2002, 10:34 a.m.

"They gave me some money back…

"They gave me some money back for not using bags, but it was only six cents, which sucks, because it's the two stupidest coins ever, the penny and the nickel. The nickel just weighs too …

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06 Jan 2002, 10:28 a.m.

Suzanne R. and I have been corresponding. If you'd…

Suzanne R. and I have been corresponding. If you'd told me four years ago that the Sumana of 2002 had been to Russia, didn't have a driver's license, regularly performed stand-up comedy, and could correspond …

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