I wake to darkness, open my eyes, and smell…nothing. I must be the first one up. Usually, if my rumbling stomach doesn’t wake me up, my nose teases me awake with the mouth-watering aroma of bacon and eggs wafting up from the kitchen.

Another horn here, just a bit more shading there, and can’t forget the smoke. It’s just not a dragon without a wispy tendril of smoke. Done! Is it time yet??? Just a few minutes more and it will be my turn. I hope Capyboppy is there. I haven’t read that one yet. It’s always checked out, but …

Humans have always been afraid of snakes. Maybe it’s a vague mammalian memory from when timid, chipmunk-sized creatures scurried in the looming shadow of the giant reptiles?

There is one knows not what sweet mystery about this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath. —Herman Melville

It’s graduation time. Congratulations and good luck. You’re gonna need it, because it’s often rough out there. Some of your worst days lie ahead. Sometimes it’s only crappy jobs, with few prospects. Sure, you can debate the finer points of free will versus determinism, but the customer only …