Remember that pain-in-the-neck kid in your class who was always jerking her arm into the air and whining, “Let me do it! Let me do it!”?

I never grew out of that.

When the PTA Chair mentioned it was too bad nobody wanted to play the cartoon character for the Book Fair, countless years of frustrated acting ambition erupted out of me. I almost knocked her down grabbing the costume box. (Read the rest of “Pushed to a Frizzle”)

I just got a postcard from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, warning me to be on the lookout for “The Red Menace” (AKA RIFA, or Red Imported Fire Ants). Ironic, isn’t it? We worry about earthquakes, fires, mudslides, riots, and killer bees−and fire ants sneak in through the back door.

I can tell you anything you want to know about fire ants because I lived in Texas for three years. The Lone Star State is also known worldwide by its other nickname, “The Land of Bugs.” And believe me, I stepped on some beauties. (Read the rest of “Go Away. Ant That Means YOU”)