I’m in Nori’s, about to meet up with my pal, Gary “The Griper” Piper. The Griper got his nickname because in the course of any conversation, regardless or time, place or subject, he will inevitably complain about something. Say you mention the Olympics, in any context, and he’ll go ...

This fall, Saranac Lake High School 10th graders in Eric Bennett’s English classes were challenged to write personal narratives in just 100 words. In about the space of a paragraph, students were tasked with telling a story with a beginning, middle and end; expressing something true about ...

Our books column’s subject this time barely qualifies as a book. It’s a 6-inch-by-3-inch, 16-page assemblage of “advice and good cheer” titled “A Trotty Veck Message: Be Friendly,” published by “Trotty Veck Messengers, Saranac Lake, N.Y.” It’s not dated, but extensive material ...

Halloween was an emotional eternity ago, although, in reality, it’s only been days. We had our five trick-or-treaters. The deer actually left our pumpkins alone. And we consumed the four bags of Halloween candy I bought “just in case.” All in all, this year was much like last year. It ...