Adam Langlais' Life: A brain stem stroke left him 'locked in,' from which almost no one emerges; he's the exception

On the morning of June 6, 2008, Adam Langlais, a burly 34-year-old then living in Chicopee, woke up sweating inexplicably. He called his mother in Florence - What did she think the sweating meant? What was wrong with him? - then went back to bed. Everyone found out later that night, when Langlais suffered a brain stem stroke that left him with 'locked-in' syndrome -- a condition that usually leaves its victims able only to blink except in rare cases. Langlais, it turns out, is one of those rare cases.

First Person: On The Street

"Sesame Street" hit the air only a few weeks after my 3rd birthday, the year that my memories begin. In reflecting on its 40th anniversary last week, I realized that my consciousness was shaped by lessons I learned from the show.

User Friendly: Holiday gift guide

Usually, I have trouble finding enough oddball stuff to fill the annual tech-toy shopping list, but not this year. This year, I had the opposite problem - there are too many goofball items out there to list them all in my allotted 950 words even though I generally go over 950 by about 75 anyway because I can't stop myself from telling you about my latest misadventure, like the time I ... OK, OK, I'll get back on task here. (Maybe I'll find a spot to tell you later.)

No Reservations: Barbecue guru

So, here I am at a Chamber of Commerce event at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield when the smell of barbecued ribs comes wafting over the crowd. Eschewing the tables of insurance companies, banks and local businesses that populate these affairs, I make my way toward the smell of 'que. Famous Dave's, the sign proudly proclaims. I load up on some ribs and cole slaw and dig in.

Chef's Tidbit: Roll Call

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are hard-pressed to find time to cook.

Smart cooks will have a stash of something in their well-stocked pantry to toss together in a snap. Or they'll have a freezer-to-oven meal ready.

Linda McInerney

Linda McInerney has been a longtime player in the New England theater scene as an actor, producer, director and teacher.

Lifeline

Q.What can you tell me about the fragrant spring wildflower called the mayflower? Is it a protected species? Where can I get plants or seeds?

A.Why are we running a column about a spring-flowering plant now? Well, this is Thanksgiving week, and we're thinking about the Mayflower - that is, the ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth back in 1620.