Columnists

Hands-free phone use isn't only for driving. In the office and at home many of us do other things while we're on the phone: computer work, household chores and more. When we multitask while on the phone without a headset, we often “clamp” the phone in place by assuming a position that makes the neck look like it's trying to crack nuts - the shoulder is raised and the neck is bent to the side. This can eventually lead to significant pain in the neck and upper shoulder.

Creative, unique and inventive are understated adjectives when describing “Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.” The line “pushing the envelope” was made for this show, a production where the star is the award-winning costumes by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner and a bus, which comes onstage and helps an out-of-the-box story unfold. Written by Stephen Elliott and Allan Scott, directed by Simon Phillips and choreography by Ross Coleman, this jukebox musical uses pop songs as its score and romps through a story that has great humor and - at times - heart-wrenching moments.

Last December in my “Getting Out” column in the sports section, I challenged my readers: On July 13, come with me on a long and difficult hike to the top of 9,931-foot Clouds Rest, a massive peak that rises 1,100 feet above Half Dome - Yosemite Valley's iconic landmark. During the intervening six months, we will take a series of hikes to prepare for the big day. Who among you has the stuff to take on the Clouds Rest Challenge?

I always get excited about the summer bounty of vegetables that grow in the home garden or found at the farmers’ market or the farm stand. Eating them while they are in season is the key to their superior quality.

Our local grape vines have been thriving throughout the warm summer, the leaves soaking up the sunshine and clusters of grapes hanging heavily from the vines. Our wine growers have been busy with canopy management - pulling selected leaves from the vines to give the best sunlight exposure and air movement to the fruit. Veraison (when grapes start to ripen and change from green to purple) has come early this year, attracting birds and other critters that are looking for a tasty meal. But even though the grapes are turning color, they aren't ripe enough yet - so nets are draped over the rows to protect them from being picked clean by hungry birds.

Light changes everything. The right lighting fixture can increase functionality, create a warm and inviting look, and add beautiful style to your home. There is an endless variety of wonderful fixtures in countless styles and finishes. When brought together in a creative and functional plan, your home really will light up your life.

Long before they took the plot from the opera “La Boheme” and created a contemporary version that became the Broadway hit “Rent,” Douglass Wallop and George Abbott took “Faust” and turned it into a rollicking, joyous, wacky tribute to baseball and enduring faithfulness. “Damn Yankees” is a feel good romp that has all the elements of a great musical. “Damn Yankees” opened on Broadway May 5, 1955 and starred Gwen Verdon with choreography by Bob Fosse. It walked away with eight 1956 Tony Awards and has continued to captivate audiences around the world through the years.