'We use Norwegian fjords the most," says Deborah Shinner, executive director of Riding Emphasizing Individual Needs and Strengths, or REINS, an organization that offers assisted horseback riding for the disabled. "The fjords can take a …
If Uncle Gerry can help you in any way, you know the number. -- Uncle Gerry I think it's stupid to assign so much significance to last words, those final utterances of a dying man. …
'In Europe, if you go to a fancy dinner party and talk about how the Chinese have slitty eyes and are loud, chances are you would not be invited back," says Andrei S. Markovits, author …
An old wine-bibber having been smashed in a railway collision, some wine was poured on his lips to revive him. "Pauillac, 1873," he murmured and died. -- Ambrose Bierce I t was the first time …
'In the book I'm working on right now, someone makes a joke about something unlikely and says, 'The day that happens is the day we'll have full trust in our mayoral department,'" says author Morgan …
Singer/songwriter Danielle LoPresti waited as the man behind the desk listened to her demo CD. When the last song came to an end, the man leaned forward, looked Danielle in the eye, and said he …
Children are a house's enemy. They don't mean to be -- they just can't help it. It's their enthusiasm, their energy, their naturally destructive tendencies. -- Delia Ephron David's sister, Michelle, relayed the usual sentiments …
'I don't just deal with the text, I also deal with the rhythm," says Julie Clemmons, director of Infinite Kids, a nonprofit after-school program. "Like Sir John Gielgud said, if you learn the text just …
If I'd belched, I'd have cleared the table, and some people would have passed out. -- My father It was decided months ago that if they wanted to jump into the deep end of the …
'Sometimes students will create something that is super stable but becomes too heavy and laborious to even move it," says Leonard Perry, professor of industrial engineering at the University of San Diego. "They'll have a …
Strength of mind rests in sobriety; for this keeps your reason unclouded by passion. -- Pythagoras I melted into David's side and craned my neck to see his face. "Kiss me," I prodded. It sounded …
'A really beautiful point [triangular stone] made out of chert was found in Mission Gorge," says Cindy Stankowski, director for the San Diego Archaeological Center. "There isn't any of this kind of chert [hard sedimentary …
Sanity is a small price to pay for happiness. -- Marabeth Madsen It had only been a clump of clay, a pebble-sized bit of hardened scraggy earth the color of cement; but once wedged in …
'If the water level is low, the fish are more concentrated, but only for a short period of time," says Tim Douglass, assistant reservoir keeper for Lake Hodges, which is currently 76 percent full. "Right …
Friends are generally of the same sex, for when men and women agree, it is only in the conclusions; their reasons are always different. -- George Santayana I knew they'd say yes. No woman in …
'Culture Shock [a San Diego--based hip-hop organization] is not Christian, but a kind of youth organization," says Tommy Moseley, associate pastor at Rock Church. "Ours has a purpose, and that's to be a gospel." Moseley's …
If you lay down, the baby will never come out! -- Native American saying I didn't think she'd take me seriously. Then again, I was pretty sure she was physically incapable of granting my request. …
'Taco Bell had that Chihuahua talking on the TV, and people would always ask me, 'Hey, doesn't that little dog piss you off?' and I'd say, 'No,'" says San Diego State English professor William A. …
"Do-so" is more important than "say-so." -- Pete Seeger After introducing myself to a few people at a recent event, one guy said, "I know you -- you write that diary advice column for the …
'Iolanthe is pulled together last minute," says J. Sherwood Montgomery, artistic director for Lyric Opera San Diego. "I had to find a stage set and a set of costumes and cast it, partially using people …
The word aerobics came about when the gym instructors got together and said, "If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it jumping up and down." -- Rita Rudner T hin mats …
'It all started when the cost of producing video dropped way down," says Ben Cote, "digital media guru" for DIVX, an online digital media company. "People had access to things like home video cameras. Avid, …
The time to relax is when you don't have time for it. -- Sydney J. Harris When we first met, David thought my neurosis was "cute." He toyed with my anxiety-induced OCD as if it …
'One of my pet peeves right now is the school educational system," says Susan Walter, education chair for the National City Living History Farm Preserve (informally known as the Stein Family Farm). "Kids are taught …
There are no good girls gone wrong, just bad girls found out. -- Mae West Jen and I sat on the bench in the entryway to the theater. We rested our backs against a poster …
'In many things in life, we have a tendency to go one way or the other, and not much in between," says Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute. "Once, fire was all bad. …
Thy food is such as hath been belched on by infected lungs. -- William Shakespeare I don't know what I found more disturbing: the words, "It can be difficult to keep the live octopus in …
Almost every breed person will tell you that their breed is not the breed for everybody," says Kate Zimmer, area rescue coordinator for the Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue. "If you have a general-rescue group, and not …
Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it. -- Haim Ginott Rosa was replenishing her glass with red wine when she announced, "I hate children." After …
'My way of picking a topic is to make it kind of controversial," says Gary Grine. "I picked last week's title ['God Save Us from Religious Fundamentalists'] because I'm very concerned with fundamentalism, especially after …
Picasso said once when being interviewed that one should not be one's own connoisseur. -- Kenneth Koch I rested the pen against my chin and contemplated the list before me. Below "Interests," I'd written, "dining, …
'T he first year we used a Webster's dictionary," says Josephine Jones, director of literacy for the Escondido Public Library. "Everybody and their mother came up to me and said, 'Are you the director of …
People talk about "dysfunctional" families; I've never seen any other kind. -- Sue Grafton I don't know why I was so surprised. I mean, I've been with him for four years -- it was bound …
Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting. -- John Russell O vercome by hormonal surges, most pregnant women are a little crazy. My sister Jane, who was a bit off in the head before she …
'It galls me that all these house-and-garden shows called 'restoration something' are showing people who own an old building, and the very first thing they say is, 'Well, we had to gut it,'" says preservationist …
How few of his friends' houses would a man choose to be at when he is sick. -- Samuel Johnson I stabbed a chunk of potato salad with my fork and brought it to my …
'W e moved all the bathrooms around, broke through a lot of walls so we could combine all the buildings, and built a staircase to the adjacent building on Girard," says Erika Torri, executive director …
There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus. -- Bob Phillips I heard the faint tinkling of bells and urged my …
'W e built a boat for a cinematographer of Star Trek," says Dan Peter, owner of Cabrillo Yacht Sales. "He wanted a perched perspective of everything and had us build a radar arch davit system …
It often happens that the real tragedies of life occur in such an inartistic manner that they hurt us by their crude violence, their absolute incoherence, their absurd want of meaning, their entire lack of …
On the first day of the year, the roads are empty and most televisions are tuned to the Rose Parade — some for the flowers, others in anticipation of the Rose Bowl (USC against Michigan …
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light, but the Electricity Board said He would have to wait until Thursday to be connected. -- Spike Milligan I was sitting in the coffee …
'W e have been lucky enough to see mothers who have delivered their calves early swimming along the coastline," says Crystal De Soto, leader of the whale-watching program at Birch Aquarium. "The calves are born …
These earthly godfathers of Heaven's lights, that give a name to every fixed star, have no more profit of their shining nights than those that walk and know not what they are. -- William Shakespeare …
'I spent four hours in a real intense sandstorm," says activist Kelly Fuller. "I had a painter's mask and a bandana on and pulled the hood of my jacket down over my face. When it …
People always overdo the matter when they attempt deception. -- Charles Dudley Warner 'I f you can boze, please give me advice. I am sinking vee are have a problem," said David's mother, Ency, in …
"All manners should be used every day, but there are certain things we need to be sure to emphasize around the holidays," says Cindy Post Senning. "With everybody so busy and so much going on, …
No one is more insufferable than he who lacks basic courtesy. -- Bryant H. McGill People are bothering me. I realize their antagonisms are unintentional for the most part but, nevertheless, I continue to be …
'Two women skaters got on a roller derby chat line and were fighting back and forth," says Dan Ferrari, owner of American Roller Skating Derby. "One was saying she was the queen of roller derby, …
I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you. -- Roy Croft David is leaving me. I've seen this coming for months now -- …