Breakfast time in our house was, until quite recently, a chore for me. My wife, Ellen, had taken to eating bowl after bowl of mung bean soup, and it was my job to buy and cook them.
"You are so brave," the dentist exclaims over and over again, tapping Michael's shoulder, until my husband explodes and lets her know that he is not indeed brave and that he wants an injection.
While touring the Forbidden City one day in early July, I was fascinated by the intricate architecture, the enormity of the complex, and the vast history of the palace. But, another thing that grabbed my attention was the heat.