Jay Stowe

Do you swear, curse, cuss, hurl oaths at the gods, and generally let fly any and all forms of blasphemy, execration, and profanity? When the spirits move me, I do.

We don’t usually plan an issue with the aim of tackling major societal themes, but two seem to dominate this month: education and religion.

Music has always been an important part of my life. I grew up in a house where my mom enjoyed bursting into song (especially when her Irish eyes were smiling).

Flashback: It’s the late winter of 1990, an unseasonably balmy Friday evening. Fresh out of college but still living at home, I head downtown for dinner at Arnold’s with a few friends. We were all of us caught up in that cocoon of comfort between college and the soul-extracting realities of professional life.

In case you’re wondering, the fetching couple on the cover this month are not, in fact, naked. Hope I didn’t spoil that for you.

I’ve spent a good portion of the last 25 years trying to convey, explain, plead, and arrogantly assert to the uninitiated what Cincinnati-style chili is and why anyone should care. Some people get it, some people don’t; some people like it, some people won’t—and never will.

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing 40 years ago?

The idea for this month’s main service package began with a simple question: How can I justify putting a big doughnut on the cover of this magazine?

“Three more one-mores?”This was the response my 2-and-not-yet-a-half-year-old daughter gave to the order “One more book” at bedtime a few months ago.

Two themes dominate this month’s issue: food and death. As themes go, it’s hard to think of two that touch more people’s lives.