If you have any doubts, go to the emergency room. Don't worry about embarrassment -- it's better to be embarrassed than dead. -- Richard Stein 'Wow, look at all of them! There's so many," I …

'Parrots are very vocal animals. In the wild, the way they keep in contact with each other is by yelling back and forth," says Bonnie Kenk, founder and executive director of the Parrot Education and …

Fearless minds climb soonest into crowns. -- William Shakespeare 'What if they laugh at me? Or even worse -- what if they don't laugh at all? I swear to God, if I say something I …

'While you're in front of my camera I love you, you're the most important person in the universe; it's a bit like being an uptown hooker," says photographer Mick Rock. "I can overcome any difficulties. …

The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them. -- Frank A. Clark The phone was ringing again. "Your turn," I said to David. He dropped the …

'In Poway, it was either sports or bands, and I don't do sports," says Sean Barrett, guitar player for the Perils of Being. "Poway is just a small town, a city in the country. There …

Theatergoing is a communal act, movie going a solitary one. -- Robert Brustein 'Are you ready?" I stood in front of the door, jiggling my keys. "The movie doesn't start for two hours ," David …

Guys are so into gadgets and, I hate to say, unconventional stuff. Women are more practical buyers, and men go out and buy motorcycles and stuff," says Heather Cook, account executive at Spear/Hall Advertising and …

Practically all the relationships I know are based on a foundation of lies and mutually accepted delusion. -- Samantha Jones (as played by Kim Cattrall on Sex and the City ) I take a sip …

What do ape-hangers, springers, canucks, pans, and evos have in common? They are a few of the possible components of a V-twin motorcycle. The V-twin, an internal combustion engine that earned its name from the …

Go ahead and take two, girls -- they're free. -- Dad 'Three...four...seven...nine!" "That's me," said Kip, a little too unenthusiastic, if you ask me. I glared at the ticket in my hand. You have failed …

Richard Ligato and his wife, Amanda Bejarano-Ligato, have co-authored Wide-Eyed Wanderers, a book about traveling 60,000 miles through Latin America and Africa in their VW van. They will discuss their travels and sign their book …

Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness. -- Richard Carlson 'You've been at that for more than an hour. What's up?" David sounded more concerned than curious. I lowered the …

'I try very hard to not let bigotry eat its way into my mind," says Kayla Williams, author of Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army. "I was talking …

The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it. -- Franklin P. Jones 'This is unfuckingbelievable. Who shows up to a dinner party an hour late?" I had been making an effort …

'On one level I'm frustrated. If [movie theaters] were serving my needs, I wouldn't have to do this," says Shane Flores, founder and facilitator of the Secret Cinema Salon. Flores has lived in San Diego …

There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman? -- Woody Allen 'Don't make eye contact," I whispered as we walked in the door. But my …

'The success rate of dogs making the find is very low nationwide. One of the reasons for this is that people are not where we are looking for them," says Jan Frazee, president of Southwest …

Nothing makes you more tolerant of a neighbor's noisy party than being there. -- Franklin P. Jones Everybody shows up around the same time. They settle into their spaces -- hang posters on the wall, …

'A wall provides three dimensions. When we're on a stage, we just get the floor. If there's a wall there, you can balance against it, lean on it, run up it, push a dancer against …

A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized . -- Fred Allen 'What's that?" David asked, pointing to the bag …

Does it hurt? "Depends on where you get hit," says Ryan Greenspan, a member of Dynasty, a San Diego--based paintball team. "If I were to get shot in the arm or chest or body or …

My first day in school was really my second day — Jangchup Phelygal The Radiators That Ticked Heat into the Room — Laura Rhoton McNeal Rear Rank Rudy — Jim Morris Forget-me-nots — Rosa Colwin …

Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forgive …

'If you know that the good guys aren't so good, you're a Raiders fan. If you know you've been jacked and are waiting for revenge, you're a Raiders fan. If you know your boss isn't …

Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people. — Andre Dubus I had it all planned out. During the last week …

I was on my second chocolate martini with a shot of espresso; they were still at it. I'm going to have to say something, I thought. How can I do this without being rude? I …

'I got more power doing the right thing than I ever had being an actual violent gang member," says Derek Grover, author of The Gangbanger's Dictionary: One Hundred and Eighty-Seven Things You Better Know Before …

We contemplated our options. One ecstasy pill, check. Two 20-year-old women looking to party, check. Location was the hard part — where can you party your brains out and act like an idiot without getting …

It's fun to be a woman. It's fun to flirt and wear makeup and have boobs. -- Eva Mendes 'I can feel my pores tightening from the mist." "She was paid to say that," I …

'A lot of people call it 'fake.' It's fixed, but it's not fake. A slap in the face is a slap in the face, and if I tell you it's going to come, it still …

We need objects to remind us of the commitments we've made. That carpet from Morocco reminds us of the impulsive, freedom-loving side of ourselves we're in danger of losing touch with. Beautiful furniture gives us …

'The thing that convinced me that I should write the book on San Diego place names was the discovery of errors in earlier books on the subject," writes Leland Fetzer in the preface of his …

You could move. -- Abigail Van Buren, "Dear Abby," in response to a reader who complained that a gay couple was moving in across the street and wanted to know what he could do to …

'The idea is to bridge the world of art and science," says Wyland, an artist, author, and educator who goes by one name. The artist's role in conservation is even bigger than his life-size murals …

My hand paused before the mascara reached my lashes and I inhaled deeply — it was almost time. The mounting passion in her voice, off-key yet somehow harmonizing with the piano's crescendo, jerked me to …

Children make the most desirable opponents in Scrabble as they are both easy to beat and fun to cheat. -- Fran Lebowitz 'These are tough letters," I said, sliding my "Z" tile to the left …

'We call it a 'screens'l,' which is a contraction of 'screen' and 'sail.' It's kind of tongue in cheek because in the sailing world, things are slurred," says Pete Sharp, a member of the sail …

'We ask parents to help their kids understand the vibe of the room. It's sometimes hard for kids, because they see adults doing playful things and they don't get that it's not uncontrolled exuberance going …

A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid. -- J.R.R. Tolkien I stood to survey the piles surrounding me and took a deep breath, letting it out with a long …

Every man is a borrower and a mimic, life is theatrical and literature a quotation. --Ralph Waldo Emerson I am likable. I could prove this to you scientifically, but at the moment, with no lab …

'GameRiot is what you get when you cross a video game with a rave," says Matt Ringel, executive producer of GameRiot, which, according to its website, is "the largest traveling video-game festival and competition in …

Know Thyself. -- Socrates As a girl, all I ever wanted in life was for my dream man to ride up on a horse or BMW, get on one knee, and profess his love for …

All is not lost that is delayed. -- French Proverb After a long sprint, he arrived at the door as the gatekeeper closed it. Words were exchanged. His expression was one of disbelief. How could …

'Drains are great if you're draining a pond, but if you're setting up an ecosystem you need rocks at the bottom," says Cindy Collins, owner of Aqua Designs. "If you do it correctly, it looks …

In the investigation of a neurotic style of life, we must always suspect an opponent, and note who suffers most because of the patient's condition. Usually this is a member of the family. -- Alfred …

'Least terns like an open, flat, sandy area. They like plenty of small fish that they can forage for, and they like solitude. Solitude is the problem," says Chris Redfern, volunteer coordinator for the San …

That is your trick, your bit of filthy magic: invisibility, and the anaesthetic power to deaden my attention in your direction. -- D.H. Lawrence 'You won't believe what happened to me today," said Jenny, setting …

'For the most part, this stuff is high energy and high emotion. This is not lullaby," says director of the Chula Vista International Mariachi Conference Mark Fogelquist. The conference includes three days of workshops at …

Omar Julio, better known in the club scene as DJ Power, has reunited with David Porras, known as DJ Impact, to form Da Big Boyz. The two will perform a live set together for the …