Euless, Texas. March 2016. Police receive a 911 call. “Shots Fired” in a park near a school. Immediately, the school is locked down and police rush to the park. Officer David Hofer hears the call and decides to back up his buddies. He is first to get to the park. Waiting for him is a shooter, who has hidden himself with a supply of loaded weapons. David spots the man and directs him to show his hands. Instead, the deranged man shoots David in the head. Moments later the other officers shoot the man, a drug addict. But it is too late. Only 29, David Hofer is dead. He never drew his pistol.

When my friends in the Netherlands recently told me about their delicious holiday feasts featuring venison and wild rabbit, I thought: “why not here?” Although I am a self-aspiring vegetarian, I am still nostalgic for the wild game we served at home. It should not too hard to find some good venison around here to eat, should it?

This month marks the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Amid all the celebrations and conferences, it is easy to forget about the real human being who actually did it. But if you live in Princeton, and his piano is in your living room, he is always present.

The year is 1990. The time is 4 a.m. The place: Princeton. I am jolted awake by ambulances with sirens screaming, police cars, a trauma helicopter circling overhead. I live near the train station. I peer through the window at a cluster of flashing lights converging in the snowy night.

Summer in America is the coldest time of the year. Women in particular suffer from the chill that pervades the land. For me, this is a season of goosebumps, blue fingers and toes, and chattering teeth. I always have a scarf and sweater within arm’s length. Places of extreme danger are movie theaters, offices, and any places frequented by men.