Columnists

There are more things to like about Morgan Hill than I could list in three “Much Ado About Nothing” columns. The fantastic library. The Community Center. The athletic field and aquatic center. The list goes on and on. But the one that tops my list is the Morgan Hill Dog Park.

You hear a lot of talk these days about English needing to be the official language in the United States. And some folks get downright cranky when they overhear immigrants speaking in their native tongue. But I say, “Get over yourselves, people” because have you heard what’s going on with the English language these days?

Expecting a window of good fall weather, in mid-October I headed to Emigrant Wilderness – a place I had never visited. Set between Highway 108 and the northern border of Yosemite National Park, Emigrant Wilderness is nearly the last gasp of the polished granite alpine country characteristic of the High Sierra.

During the last several years of writing this column and meeting with the local wine community, one person's name always comes up in conversation. In revered tones, people ask me, “Have you heard of Steve Beck?” or “You really need to meet Steve Beck!”

Last Saturday, a large group gathered to celebrate a birthday with one of Gilroy’s finest. Dr. James Ebaugh was one of the city’s first veterinarians, practicing for many years. I was one of the lucky ones to work with Jim after I graduated vet school. During those first years of my career, he helped me understand that veterinary medicine is more than just caring for animals. Dr. Ebaugh combined total dedication to his work with a sense of humor that’s important for survival in this high pressure job.

Many of Hollister's churches share a unique ecumenical tradition, participation in a worship experience called “Holy Stir.” Several times a year members of a variety of congregations gather together to share a common liturgy of prayers, message and music.

If you listen to the buzz about the latest technologies, you may think laptops have gone the way of the stegosaurus. But, the truth is, many of us are still using them. This may be a problem from an ergonomics perspective. The big difficulty with laptops (AKA: notebook computers or netbooks) is the keyboard and monitor are attached to one another. This creates an impossible situation. If you place the screen at a comfortable level for viewing, the keyboard and pointing device will be much too high for keying and pointing, and vice-versa. Something's gotta give! And usually it's your neck, back, arms, hands or all of the above.

“Next Fall” is a moving story by Geoffrey Nauffts about gay rights, coming out, religion and tragedy with a mix of humor. Adam (indomitable Danny Scheie) is an avowed gay atheist who carries the heavy load of dialogue with just enough control to keep his character believable. Luke (delightful Adam Shonkwiler) is young and handsome, and raised a devout Catholic who prays for forgiveness after sex. He has not told his family about living with Adam for the past four years - but destiny has made the time and place for his coming out a hospital, where family and friends gather to hope Luke pulls through from a serious auto accident.

Your nursery or toddler's bedroom should be a fun, functional and - above all - SAFE place for your child to rest and play. Keep the following tips in mind when planning this room and you and your little one will enjoy those special early years in a safe and happy environment.