I was driving home the other day on a sunny afternoon. It was such a beautiful day that I felt very happy. My good mood (心情) ended, however, when I suddenly heard a piece of news on the radio about a rich famous man who had broken the law. I shook my head as I came to a red traffic light.

As I stopped I noticed four leather-jacketed motorbikers. They were standing in the middle of the road with two on either side of the light. They looked dangerous, but as I got closer I noticed each one was holding their helmet (头盔) in their hands. I rolled down my window as one approached my car. “We are the Brother of the Wheel,” he said. “We are collecting money for Christmas Toy Drive for needy children.” As I pulled a dollar out of my wallet I looked past his beard and into his eyes. They shined with kindness that came right from his heart. I dropped the money in his helmet and waved to the other three men as I drove off. My good                           mood had returned. And I remembered once again never to judge (判断) people by their appearance (外表).

Our society often judges books by their covers. Perhaps one day we will realize that actions (行为) are much more important than appearance.

Students often ask me about writing for China Daily. Usually it’s along the lines of, “Why do you still teach, when you must be rich from all those columns you have published?” Actually, we “Hotpot” contributors don’t do this for the money. To most of us, this column’s just a place for us to share our experiences—often strange—about our everyday lives.

Recently, I addressed a group of students who were all studying to be writers, mostly in the field of medicine. All of them told tales of how hard they were working, and they all wanted to go out and make a name for themselves in the literary world. One of the students put his hand up, and asked, “What’s the best way to get a steady income from writing?” Twenty pairs of eyes focused on me as I thought about my next statement very closely. “Well,” I said, “have you thought of becoming a plumber (管道工人)? Or an electrician? Everyone needs a tradesman.” Their sharp intake of breath almost sucked the glass out of the windows, and a couple of students looked as if any second they would burst into tears. It was as if I’d kicked a puppy in full view of everyone.

I went on to tell them that it didn’t mean that they shouldn’t try to become famous in their chosen field. On the contrary, they should push harder, sharpen their skills and take every available chance to get ahead.

When I tentatively (尝试性地) put forth my first piece for China Daily, I never expected it to be picked up. I’d written it on my Phone, whilst standing at a bus stop in the snow, and sent it out of pure dissatisfaction with the whole public transport system. In fact, it wasn’t until I got an e-mail much later, asking me to expand it to 650 words, that I realized it was actually going to make it into print.

At that stage, the idea of money didn’t even enter into the equation (等式), and I was just more than happy to see my name on the page. Actually, it wasn’t until a few months later, when a sum of money mysteriously turned up in my bank account, that I even thought about it.

One thing then led to another, and I wrote more stories, often with a bit of back and forth help from Liu Jun, the column’s editor. At times it was an uphill struggle to try and change things around to fit the way she wanted it-but it was worth it.

It’s never been about the money. Sure, it’s nice, it buys bits and pieces along the way—but you couldn’t live off it. It’s been about telling the stories of the things that have happened to me from day to day, and generally trying to get people to see that there’s more in the newspaper than just doom and gloom!

I was in the garden with Augie, my grandson, watching the bees. ''How do they make honey? '' Augie asked. ''Actually, Augie, I don't know, '' I replied. ''But, Grandma, you have your phone, '' he said. For Augie, holding a smartphone almost means knowing everything.

During my childhood I was crazy about books. Over time, reading hijacked my brain, as large areas once processing the real world adapted to processing the printed word. As far as I can tell, this early immersion (沉浸) didn't prevent my development.

Many parents worry that ''screen time'' will damage children’s development, but recent research suggests that most of the common fears about children and screens are unfounded.     There is one exception: looking at screens before bed really disturbs sleep, in people of all ages. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) used to recommend strict restrictions on screen exposure. Last year, the organization examined the relevant science more thoroughly and changed its recommendations. The new guidelines stress that what matters is what children watch and with whom.

New tools have always led to panic guesses. The novel, the telephone, and the television were all declared to be the End of Civilization, particularly in the hands of the young. Part of the reason may be that adult brains require a lot of focus and effort to learn something new, while children's brains are designed to master new environments naturally. New technologies always seem disturbing to the adults attempting to master them, while attractive to those children like Augie.

When Augie's father got home, Augie rushed to meet him and said in excitement. ''Daddy, Daddy, look, '' he said, reaching for my phone. ''Do you know how bees make honey? I'll show you…''