I was leaving a restaurant with my husband and youngest daughter when Steve spotted a coin on the ground. "Look, Emily, a lucky penny!" he shrieked. As my daughter bent down to reach for it, I countered with my own shriek, "No! It's tails!" You see, being enlightened and well-studied in the rules of lucky pennies, I knew that they are lucky only if they are resting heads up. Trust me; it's been studied. My husband, on the other hand, is less educated in this regard. One could argue he needs to get out more.

My daughter didn't miss a beat, however. She proceeded to grasp the copper prize (OK, mostly zinc, but you get the point) and flip it over, returning it to its place on the sidewalk.  more...