Let it snow...

Wow, what a blizzard. Instantly billed as the “storm of the century,” I alternated between staying in the house, watching it all transpire and shoveling, shoveling, shoveling.

At first, it was just plain gorgeous. I took pictures and video as the storm progressed, looking at the weather channel (in-between power outages) and honestly enjoying the “Currier & Ives” aspect of how beautiful the countyside can appear blanketed in Mother Nature’s wintry display. The first two days were almost idyllic as I played board games with neighbors and caught up with some correspondence.

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Put your money where your mouth is

After the December 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen, when world leaders failed to reach a substantive agreement that would address the pressing realities of climate change, I posed a question at the end of my column: What do we do now?

Some readers responded, pointing out that our personal choices profoundly affect our world. Will Conway’s letter to the editor of this paper suggested that one of the most meaningful ways to reduce greenhouse gases is to eliminate meat from our diets. Another reader felt that individuals must support business “efforts to deal in a real way with the problem.”

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My roots in Berlin

“People come to Berlin to find their roots, right?” I say, totally deadpan. “Let’s go inside.”

Nicky laughs.

“I’m serious,” I say, but I’m actually half kidding, although I can tell that this will really take me back.

We’re standing in front of Legoland in Berlin, specifically next to a huge life-sized Lego giraffe. It is, perhaps, a strange place to visit in a city with such a rich history (though in proximity, I’m as close as ever to Lego’s place of origin: Denmark).

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