When summer arrives, it's not uncommon to get a strong desire for sand and water. But those who can only make day-long trips may find it hard to achieve. Don't worry! Plenty of opportunities for kicking back in the sand exist here in Ohio, although it's far away from the oceans.

East Harbor State Park Beach

1169 N. Buck Rd., Lakeside-Marblehead

     Those looking for a bit of extra space between their blankets and their neighbors' will like this beach. At 1,500 feet long, the sandy strip has a significant amount of real estate(房产）for sunning or relaxing in the shade. Amenities(设施）include a bathhouse, vending machines, grills and picnic tables.

Nickel Plate Beach

Corner of Tiffin Avenue and Nickel Plate Drive, Huron

     Anyone who spends a day at the beach knows that swimming and doing sports on the beach give you a good appetite. Luckily, Nickel Plate Beach offers a variety of dining options nearby, including beachside pizza delivery. Amenities include a sheltered picnic area, charcoal grills, playground equipment and beach volleyball courts.

Main Street Beach

Main Street, Vermilion

     No beach umbrella or chairs? No problem. This beach offers hourly rents of chairs, umbrellas, tables, shade tents and wheelchairs. And with downtown Vermilion only a block away，shops and restaurants are nicely within reach. Amenities include an observation deck and some benches. No lifeguards are on duty.

Kelleys Island State Park Beach

920 Division St. Kelleys Island

     With its gradual water depth, this beach is perfect for young children. The park's campground also includes a playground and a store with snacks and ice cream. Other amenities include a picnic shelter and hiking trails.

    While all cultures share the same basic emotions, the body language used throughout different countries of the world varies（变化）greatly. What can mean one thing in one country can often mean something completely different in another.

    For example, in North America and Europe people tend to prefer direct eye contact（接触）. But in some Asian countries longer eye contact is considered rude.

    So when communicating with people, always be aware of different cultural customs that may exist.

    A V sign in the US could mean victory, but in England, it stands for a rude challenge, which has the same meaning as showing the middle finger in the US.

The OK gesture（手势）in America and England is given to mean everything is good or well. But in Latin America is looked on as a rude sign.

    The thumbs（拇指）up sign in America and most of Europe means that something is good or well done, but it is considered rude in many Asian countries.

    Putting your feet on the table is generally not thought to be rude in America and England. However, in Thailand（泰国）it is really rude.

    Telling someone to come to you by curling your index finger（食指）is acceptable in America and England, but this gesture signifies death in Singapore.

    Raising your hand up means stop in America and England. In some Asian countries this gesture is used when asking for permission to speak.

    In most westernized countries it is considered normal for two men to shake hands. In some Asian countries it is quite normal for men to kiss each other, while in most westernized countries men kissing in public would be viewed as homosexual（同性恋）behavior.

    If you would like more information on different cultural gestures all over the world, see this site on non-verbal （口头的）communication.

    Getting more followers is something we usually associate with social media or micro messaging apps. But soon we could all have a new type of follower—a robotic one.

    Dozens of robots and technology fans gathered in Boston, US, earlier this month for the Robot Business conference. The latest developments in the world of robotics were shown to the public, and this time the trend was robots following people.

    Perhaps the most exciting development on show was the ability of drones (无人机) to follow you from the air, acting as your own personal cameraman or photographer. One example is 3-D Robotics' Iris+ drone, developed by a US-based company.

    The drone is fitted with cameras and has a “follow me” function. It connects with your GPS-enabled Android device, like a mobile phone. Then it flies and follows you around, shooting action film of you from above. The software in the drone makes sure that you're always in the center of the frame.

It can keep working for 15 minutes, as long as there aren't too many trees for it to crash into. This could be exciting for anyone who loves action sports or wants to be the star of their own short film.

    But what if you want to be one of those celebrities (名人) who have helpers carrying all their bags and doing all their chores? A robot called Budgee can help.

    Budgee, made by 5 Elements Robotics, is literally a basket on wheels.It is designed to help elderly and disabled people, or simply anyone who doesn't have enough arms for grocery bags, Wired magazine reported.It can carry up to 22.7 kg of items.

    To make Budgee follow them, its owner will have to wear a small device and use an app to set the distance between themselves and the robot.Budgee even sends a text message when it can't keep up with its owner.

     “I want you to look at the robot like he's your buddy, he's your friend. There's a relationship you develop with the robot,” Wendy Roberts, CEO of 5 Elements Robotics, told gigaom.com.

    It might not be quite the same as robotic assistants we've seen in movies such as Disney's Wall-E, where robots cater for our every need, but that idea doesn't seem quite so far-fetched now.

    Recently I and other Red Cross volunteers met a group of victims from Hurricane Katrina. We were there, as mental health professionals, to offer “psychological first aid” and I was struck by the simple healing power of presence. As we walked in the gate to the shelter, we were greeted with a burst of gratitude from the first person we met. I felt appreciated, but also guilty, because I hadn't really done anything yet.

    I first realized the power of presence many years ago when a friend's mother passed away unexpectedly. I received a call saying she had just passed away. I wanted to rush down there immediately, but didn't want to intrude(打扰) on this very personal period of sadness. I was torn about what to do. Another friend with me then said, “Just go. Just be there.” I did, and I will never regret it.

    Since then, I have not hesitated to be in the presence of others. Once I sat at the bedside of a young man suffering from the pain of his AIDS-ralated dying. He was not awake, and obviously unaware of others' presence. However, the atmosphere was by no means solenm. His family, playing guitars and singing, allowed him to be present with them as though he were still fully alive.

    In my life, I am repeatedly struck by the healing power of presence. In it, none of us are truly alone. It not only is something we give to others but also changes me for the better.

    Life in the summertime is often full of pests. Like most Long Island homeowners, I want to ensure my suburban life with pest-free living. So it was with wide-eyed wonder that I greeted the smiling exterminator (灭虫者) who rang my bell.

    “We'll be serving your neighbors, Mike and Sarah (I'm not familiar with either one by name),” he waved in the other direction. “Since we'll have a team here tomorrow, we're offering a discount.” He came out with numbers beginning from $299 then in seconds to $89.

    “You've probably been seeing the ant hills around.” he moved toward my front walkway and lawn. “And have you seen the bees that dig nests in the ground?” he continued with his head shaking up and down pushing me to do the same.

    “What we do is spray three feet out from your foundation and three feet up.” As he was talking, and without breaking eye contact, he opened his iPad cover and began operating at the screen to show me frightening images. “It also kills other pests, like spiders. It is the best pesticide (杀虫剂),” he said, pausing for effect.

    He then went into soft talk to close the deal, correctly foreseeing that I would be concerned about safety and the environmental impact on my vegetable garden, plants and our little patch of planet here on Long Island. “The products are environmentally responsible, safe with children and pets,” he said.

    I'm unkind when it comes to unwanted visitors entering on my out-of-doors moments. Any insect found in my house or on my deck is bound to be poisoned or pancaked.

    Unfortunately for the exterminator, just as I was considering making an appointment, Billy, my fearless husband, pulled into our driveway, which made me ask for a business card out of politeness instead.

    Unlike most other holidays, the history of April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is not totally clear. The only point in time that can be agreed on as the beginning of this tradition was 1582, in France. Before that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25th. The celebration reached the highest point on April 1st. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX，the Gregorian calendar(公历，阳历) was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1st.

    However, because in those days communications were not as developed as they are today, many people did not receive the news for several years. Some people refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1st. These backward people were considered "fools" by other people. They  were often sent on "fools" errands(徒劳无益的工作)  or were made the targets of jokes.

    This developed, over time, into a tradition of playing a trick on someone on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the Britain and France. April Fools' Day thus developed into an international fun feast, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own kind of humor at the expense of their friends and families.