On Polonium
I’ve been doing some research into polonium for an article to appear in a forthcoming issue of Popular Science. Polonium has been in the headlines for the past few months, since it was slipped into the tea of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko and killed him. Nuclear physicists have a nickname for polonium. They call [...]
On Hurting My Back
Last weekend, I did something I have not done in a long time: I hoisted my daughter up onto my shoulders while we were walking through Hampstead Heath. My daughter loved it; she was laughing, bouncing up and down, and really enjoying the view. But I quickly realized why I had not done this in [...]
On Sliding Boards
I recently visited an office building that had a sliding board in it. The sliding board, a 29-foot-long strip of white fiberglass that connects the third and fourth floors, is one of those architectural flourishes meant to signify the vivacity and effervescence of a brand. Of course, I wanted to slide down it. But first [...]
Aphorisms by Irena Karafilly
Irena Karafilly is an author, journalist, and occasional university lecturer who lives in Montreal. Born in the Russian Urals, Karafilly has won Canada’s National Magazine Award (Gold) for Fiction as well as other literary prizes. She holds an M.A. in English from McGill University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of [...]
On Getting My Shoes Shined
Speaking of thrones and arses, I had my shoes shined recently. I was in the SF airport. Had to climb up two or three very steep steps to get to what looked and felt uncomfortably like an electric chair. Had a magnificent view from up there, watching the tops of people’s heads as they rushed [...]