Back in my earliest days on Facebook, I used to enjoy doing these goofy questionnaires. This one is from 16 years ago. 1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?My middle name was for my maternal grandfather. 2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?Last March when I heard that my dad had died. 2025 update: More …
I have been married and living in the same house with someone for more than 32 years. In two weeks, one of those two things will come to an end. My wife Nicole, the love of my life since we met in 1992, will be moving 10 miles up the road to a nursing home …
“They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. It’s too bad. I deserve it.” If you were to read that quote to people on the streets of the world at random and ask them who said it, I think the vast majority of them would see only one possible answer. I can’t think of …
It came to me this morning. I finally understand Donald Trump and his appeal to the poorly educated among up. Donald Trump is … wait for it … Dando Shaft. Back in the mid 1960s, writer Don Calhoun created a character who was an advertising man looking for a short cut to riches and fame. …
“Life is full of surprises.” That’s a phrase many of us have heard — or even said — from time to time. I found myself wondering if anyone was famous for saying it, and I found two famous men who were credited with it in recent years. One was British Prime Minister John Major and …
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no …
“The world is made for people who aren’t cursed with self awareness.” I always thought that was one of the best lines from one of my favorite movies. Susan Sarandon nearly always played memorable characters, and Annie Savoy in “Bull Durham” was one of the best. I saw it at one of the least stressful …
Repressed anger is one of life’s nasty surprises Read More »
“Up until the 1950s, American children yearned for adulthood. When their time came to be adults, they stepped into the role proudly, leaving childhood behind and taking up the mantles of responsibility, honor and dignity. They embraced and championed the ideals of those who came before them while valiantly tackling new ideas and problems that …
In our toxic political century, we’ve been hearing a lot about the Original Intent of the Founding Fathers, who we now just call the Founders (even though they were all men). Original Intent is important to conservatives, who seem to believe that such wonderful things happened in the late 18th Century that we should do …
When historians study the inaugural addresses delivered by presidents either taking office or continuing in office, they look for memorable themes and phrases. Perhaps the most memorable — and the most tragic — was on March 4, 1865, when Abraham Lincoln spoke just before the end of the Civil War about putting things back together. …
