"Now & Then," by Robert B. Parker (Putnam, $25.95) ...more

November 25, 2007

I recently served as emcee at a fundraiser for the USF Suncoast Alzheimer's & Gerontology Center. It was a challenging job because the audience was especially chatty. ...more

November 23, 2007

You stop at the mailbox and bump into the guy down the hall. Or you pull into the driveway just as your neighbor is getting home. Suddenly you're gabbing about nothing in particular, and you end up frittering away 10 minutes. ...more

November 11, 2007

AVON PARK — It's not uncommon for one or two college students to doze off during a morning class. But when psychology professor Brian Deery sees that, he turns to his stand-up comedy routine. "Sometimes I have to use a technique we call 'kicking the mule,' which we use to get a crowd going," said Deery, who has been a stand-up comedian for 26 years. "I'm not there to do comedy, but it certainly is helpful to use those comic elements as long as they are learning something too." He tags his comedy as "clean and clever," meaning he avoids cussing and lewd subjects, which he thinks is more challenging but also more fun. "Comedy allows you to play with reality and being a psychologist, I can appreciate that," Deery said. ...more

November 10, 2007

No amount of fencing was going to keep Mike Fenton and his friends on the outside looking in. ...more

November 7, 2007

TAMPA Brandon Erwin and Andrew Culver traveled together in the glitzy drug world, and both eventually wanted out. ...more

October 17, 2007