It happens on ordinary days—a quick stop at the grocery store, a short errand at the pharmacy, with a child or a pet waiting quietly in the car while someone runs inside “just for a minute.” The parking lot seems calm. The day doesn’t seem very hot. But inside a closed vehicle, the temperature can
As spring arrives in Northeast Florida, it’s common to see a snake quietly slithering across a driveway, resting along a pond’s edge, or moving through tall grass. After the cooler winter months, snakes start to become more active as the land warms up. Many people who grew up in the South heard the same warning
An ABC of Community Etiquette At a gathering or community event, people usually expect a predictable environment—a place where conversation flows easily and everyone understands the general boundaries of the setting. Those expectations can change quickly when someone arrives with a pet and assumes the room will welcome it happily. Many of us love animals,
At a fundraising event a few weeks ago, I tried to tickle Mike in the ribs while we were taking our picture (which I hate doing). It was just a quick, playful poke like teasing a giggling five-year-old. Nothing. Not a flinch. Not a squirm. Not even a startled jump. He stood there, calmly smiling
Most people see rabies as an outdated disease — rare, distant, and unlikely to impact daily life. In many ways, that view is correct. “Dogs and cats must receive their first rabies vaccine at four months of age, followed by a booster one year later,” said Dr. Elizabeth Vodevic of Plantation Animal Hospital in Fleming
Millions of people groggily change their clocks twice a year, muttering complaints about Daylight Saving Time (DST) as they rush to get extra sleep. Parents struggle to wake their children, who are late for school, while tired students wonder whether they are safe as they wait in the dark for the bus. Although DST was
Keystone Heights resident Christopher Butler came from a family of warriors. His grandfather served in the Army; his father and two uncles served in the Navy, and his aunt was an FBI agent. By the time he was born at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, his family expected him to make his mark in service. They
Recently, I found myself explaining to a young person the origin of the phrase “I’ll get your goat.” It sounded simple enough — just an expression we use when someone irritates us. But as I described its origin, I realized how many of our everyday sayings carry stories most of us have long forgotten. We
If you grew up in the South, chances are you spent part of your childhood crouched over a small, funnel-shaped pit in the sand, softly calling to a creature you couldn’t see. I certainly did. On long summer days, I would lean in close, letting my hair fall toward the ground, and chant the familiar
Superstitions shape our daily rituals, from carrying a lucky charm to wearing a specific jersey on game day. But where do these beliefs originate? At their core, superstitions are rooted in a fascinating psychological phenomenon: operant conditioning. This process, in which behaviors are reinforced by their outcomes, helps explain why certain actions become lasting traditions
