Dr. Weiss doesn’t waste time. He slipped an elastic around the head and stretched it up to a shirt button. A second later — Pop! went the anesthetic needle. O U C H After that I stared straight up, sucked into the soft moss of the rainforest poster on the ceiling. “What do most guys usually say at this point, Doctor?” “Nobody wants to make a home video, if that’s what you mean.” I distracted myself by thinking what a great story this would make: “What men say during their vasectomy.” Maybe Reader’s Digest would buy that. Snipping. Tugging. A trickle of hot liquid escaping down my perineum. Is that…

A study in the American Journal of Cardiology has concluded that transcendental meditation extends life. Meditating is really powerful, very difficult, and amazing — when it works. You have to spend a lot of time fighting internal dialogue to get to the good parts, though. And perception of meditation practice is all wrapped up in Beatles, pot and squishy religious blather. It doesn’t help that the Ottawa Citizen reports today that meditating can help you “levitate.” When it works, it Feels like that, but you don’t leave the ground. Sorry. Good meditation has nothing to do with religion. Meditate on that for a while. I’d like to see a study…

Want to spend a week in PEI this summer? Consider renting Walden. I know, shameless promotion … There are a few weeks left in this year’s rental season.