How classism and racism are pushing beach access out of reach for many. — My earliest steps were practiced on the sands of Cocoa Beach, Florida. At every turn of my childhood, there remains a beach-infused moment that is enshrouded in nostalgia. I graduated high school in Virginia Beach, and spent my 20s in Coronado, California, only a block away from the cold Pacific…

Why you should resist instant conclusions born of inconvenience. — Nothing struck me as off when I first met Richard. I was walking my usual route through our suburban neighborhood, which was filled with a colorful mix of brick homes, and shaded by a dense canopy of southern live oaks. “Hey! You live just behind me, right?” Richard said with…

Exploring the problematic theory of ash and aerosol coming to solve our problems. — My biggest frustration with conservative friends and family isn’t that they are conservative. I can accept and understand many of their positions, and even agree with a few of them. But I struggle to understand how many of them don’t buy in fully on global warming. Climate change shouldn’t be…

How Cirque-du-Soleil's warm-up crew brought me and my partner out of the pits. — I stood on a black circular stage at Cirque Du Soleil and not by my own doing. The day prior, my then-partner Becky and I had fought vociferously. There’d been a long-standing dispute that boiled over into us raising our voices at each other. We were both young, emotional, and…

Achieving harmony over one of the most common domestic squabbles. — Laura crawled into bed beside me at 10:00 PM, the approximate time we wind down each night. After a moment, she turned her head toward me and said “I don’t want to admit to this, but last night, I got hot.” I smiled and said, “Well I’ll be darned.” This…

What happens when an effective obesity drug becomes cheap and used by the masses? — When Anne first walked into the restaurant, I didn’t recognize her for several seconds, until she smiled and called out my name. We’ve been long time friends. Work and daily life have pulled us apart in recent years. …

Finding a new job is one answer, but not the only. — I pulled into the headquarters for Home Shopping Network. It was a towering corporate building with reflective windows and an HSN logo as its crown. In front, was a wide still pond with several alligators floating leisurely. …

Destigmatizing body moisture and its critical role. — I spent my childhood summers on the east coast of Florida, playing outside on thickly grassed lawns and sun-scorched driveways. The sweltering heat and sound of cicadas buzzing in the background are forever burned into my memory. …

How sociologists advise you make friends after 30. — “I can’t do the 15th,” John said. “Can we push it back two weeks?” I looked at my calendar, trying to align the dates with our friend Derrick. Then, after finding a great window, John came back with another complication. I rubbed my temples in frustration. I’m 40 and most…