When the Olympics begin in London this week, swim fans no doubt will witness the fastest times in the history of the world. And as unlikely as it may sound, some of that speed comes from training on a machine created right here in Vermont — originally for cross-country skiers. Pretty crazy, huh?... Read more

In the past 15 years, my husband and I have lived in 17 different abodes. Among others, there was a loft in Montréal; an old hunting cabin in Huntington, Vt.; an antebellum Victorian in Staunton, Va.; a tiny, marble-floored condo in the Little India section of Singapore. And, lest I forget, a brand-spanking-new house in Québec’s Eastern Townships that looked eerily similar to the one in Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Christina’s World.”... Read more

A little retail therapy can go a long way at the Burlington Clothes Exchange. The event, now in its 10th year, offers one-stop shopping for great garments and good karma. Every penny earned from the sale of clothing — gathered from individuals’ closets as well as area retailers — benefits a local nonprofit. Last year’s CE pulled in $70,000 for the King Street Center.... Read more

Twice this past year, while sitting at my desk at the University of Vermont, I’ve received an email telling me that a student has died. There was a similar tragic announcement this winter at St. Michael’s College. When the cause of death isn’t mentioned, I know all too well what the glaring absence implies. So does everyone else.

Suicide.... Read more

In the 1970s, when I was just a kid, my father took me to the county fair every year to see the sideshow. We didn’t ride the roller coasters, nor did we play games at the midway or get pink cotton candy. We went straight to the freaks.... Read more

My father knew it was coming. Alzheimer’s disease had been on his radar ever since his own father died of the mysterious malady. Witnessing the catastrophic deterioration of a man whose mind had been sharp enough to work for General MacArthur in prewar Manila, my frightened father, Beauregard Bercaw, decided to become a neurologist. Perhaps the practice, and pursuit, of medicine could stave off what he believed was a genetic inevitability.... Read more

A few years ago, a slim volume at Borders jumped out at me. I don’t know which caught my eye first: the jacket photograph — depicting a man’s sand-dappled shins from the POV of their owner, who’s reposing in a beach hammock — or the title, The Importance of Being Lazy. I’d been giving the subject some thought even before spotting the book. That is, wondering if I’d ever have enough free time to put on my lazy pants. The subtitle extolled what I was lacking: In Praise of Play, Leisure, and Vacations.... Read more

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We did the math. Between babysitting fees, top-shelf martinis and movie tickets, date night was costing my husband and me nearly $100. We were anything but cheap dates until we found the Sunset Drive-In on Porters Point Road in Colchester, which opens in April for the summer. Now we can get all our needs met — time together, cinematic delight and an onboard babysitter — for exactly $20.... Read more

After bugging me for years, my right hand finally decided to kill me. It wrapped around my neck like a python while I slept, then slowly started to strangle me. I woke up coughing uncontrollably, unable to breathe. My left hand had to fight to pry it off. I sat on all 10 of my bickering digits and used my big toe to dial 911.... Read more

Before the Girl from Ipanema went walking, she undoubtedly went waxing. For generations, most Brazilian women have been removing all the hair from their bodies before stepping onto a beach, or into a bedroom.

Nearly two decades ago, seven Brazilian sisters -- Jocely, Jonice, Joyce, Janea, Jussara, Juracy and Judseia -- sought to challenge pubic opinion in New York City with the J. Sisters International Salon. Since then, I hear, a surprisingly large number of labias majora in Manhattan have gone Brazilian.... Read more