By Jim Nichols It was an undergraduate class in Shakespeare, and I was a graduate student in zoology. Several friends recommended the class and professor if I wanted an exceptional experience. I could audit the class at minimal cost, not take tests or write papers, and learn from an unusual classroom leader. I took the bait and was changed in

By Jim Nichols My elementary school did not have air conditioning. I knew of no schools that did. We did not have it at home either. In the 1950s, air conditioning was an aspiration rather than a reality. When our family took a summer vacation in our (un-air conditioned) car, we would look for a lunch cafe that had a

By Jim Nichols The transition from elementary school to junior high was not a smooth one for me. It was significantly complicated by having to ride the school bus every morning. Hickory Grove Elementary was within walking distance of my home, but the junior high required Bus #38 to pick me up at the corner. My grade was the youngest

LINKS TO PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF ‘ALMOST BIBLE’ Original Almost BibleAlmost Bible (Part 2)Almost Bible (Part 3)Almost Bible (Part 4) By Jim Nichols Even people who do not consider themselves in any way to be “students of the Bible” usually recognize a few phrases that are so well-known that they are embedded in us somewhere. One might not know how they

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