By Jim Nichols Why do we get sick sometimes but not at other times? Why do some people get sick, but others do not? Is it because some of us eat a healthier diet? Is it because some of us are more consistent with getting regular exercise? Is it because “germs” (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or another microscopic entity) invade our

By Jim Nichols The internet notes that Everly, Iowa, had a population of 575 in the 2020 census. Over the decades that has remained steady and is similar to the time when our family would venture on summer vacation to Aunt Bea and Uncle Bill’s farm outside Everly. That farm was what one would envision as a true Midwest farm.

By Jim Nichols The scene has been replayed throughout history probably. The family sits around whatever they use as a supper table, and one of the children states with seriousness an opinion on a topic that is generally not considered in this family.  Stunned, a parent asks with some sharpness of voice, “Where did you ever hear that?” The child

By Jim Nichols Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to make a decision, and it just seemed like an impossible one? On the one hand, this direction seemed to be the best but, on the other hand, the opposite appeared strongly attractive. What if the decision is not just about an ordinary aspect of your

By Jim Nichols It is strange what we remember. They are just incidents (or thoughts) of the past that had little importance at the time, but they stuck in our mind. Sometimes we were the recipient of the incident or thought; other times we were the donor. When I was a boy, I was fascinated by helium-filled balloons. It was

By Jim Nichols I am not a golfer, but I have played it a few times and understand the game to an extent. In what seems now a lifetime ago for me, I was in a locker room with colleagues after exercising. It was the fiftieth birthday for one of them and, included in the banter he said, “Yes, I

By Jim Nichols It is impressive when one sees how someone else has solved a problem with minimal skill but with great logic. Adding to that is when the action reminds or teaches us about something that has widespread application and significance. The sound, frankly, was deafening. The construction of the building involved two primary areas. One was predictable looking

By Jim Nichols Are ladders for climbing? Must we climb? There were two small turbines on our roof; their responsibility was to turn in the wind and to draw hot air from within the attic to the outside. It was part of the cooling attempt during hot Texas summers, and they made good sense to my scientific mind. The complication