Is This Business As Usual? After Donald Trump’s rally in North Carolina last night the obvious and somewhat anticipated conclusion by the press (a body I still trust on such topics) is that the attacks on the Squad (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass)) were tactical and purposeful to give the President a target for his campaign rhetoric and an “enemy” to galvanize his base. Listening to…
Unlikely Bedfellows I arrived at Cornell University in 1971 with an army jacket and a duffle bag. I had not led a conventional suburban life, and I was not entering college in a traditional middle class American manner. I had hitchhiked from Cleveland, where I had spent the summer learning about sociological research studies at Case Western Reserve University and learning that rivers in the United States were so polluted that they could, indeed,…
Throwing it All Away Bohemian Rhapsody is back in vogue with the release of the movie by the same name. Who doesn’t like Freddie Mercury and Queen with their effusive, enthusiastic and expressive songs? The lyrics are simple, memorable and speak to many of us. There are even certain lyrical phrases that actually invoke the melody of the phrase when they are said. Let’s try it just for fun: Mama, just killed a man…
Getting Smaller I was watching an obscure little film from 1993 called Indian Summer. It had a great cast with Alan Arkin, Diane Lane, Matt Craven, Bill Paxton (RIP) and Kevin Pollak. It is another Big Chill movie with a summer camp twist. I am sure many can relate to the ensemble of characters and roles, not to mention the reminiscences of summer camp summers past. At one point in the story, there is a…
The Joy of Disconnecting I’ve been away for two weeks and while I was keeping up with my emails and even sending a few of my own, I was not watching any TV (zero, none) and that means that I was not watching any MSNBC or CNN news. Our regular routine is that I watch MSNBC from about 6pm through and until close to midnight. I may take a breather for a movie if…
Chasing Fireflies I read a report by The Farmer’s Almanac, a strangely vestigial but somehow authoritative reference point on things both naturalistic and Americana, that fireflies were at risk of being eradicated by a combination of pollution (both pesticides and light pollution) and the civilized landscaping of our properties. I do not pretend to know what the firefly does for us ecologically, but these Lampyridae are bioluminescent reminders of things past. That bioluminescence during…
The Love of My Life As we wing our way back to New York from Ireland, I am seated across the aisle from Kim, my wife of twelve and a half years and the love of my life for fourteen years. As I look at her sleeping with her headphones on, she looks like any other person curled up in a row of ten business class sleeper seats. I am reminded of that powerful…
Who Wants to Live Forever? The Highlander is a cult classic about Connor McLeod, a Scotsman who is chosen to engage in an immortal battle of good versus evil. He is played in the four Highlander movies by Christopher Lambert. The weapon of choice is the broadsword and the age is imprecisely Medieval. Who should school Connor in the sacred ways of the sword, but an unconvincing Spaniard (more likely a Glaswegian) played by…
Home Again Home Again, Jiggety Jig Vacations are supposed to recreate and relax. I believe we have found the perfect formula for that. Yes, Ireland has been wonderful and greatly exceeded our expectations. We really enjoyed Normandy, and Rome is very special to me and would always be a pleasure. México, both Cabo and Akumal, were fun and restful. Todi in Umbria was perfect for exploring the hill towns of central Italy. Next, we’ve spoken…
Driving Ms. Susie The oldest members of our group in Ireland this week are Pete and Susie Jones of Wabash, Indiana. Both were teachers in Kim’s home town. Susie was Kim’s choir director at their Presbyterian church. That connection lasted over the years as Kim wandered to Los Angeles and then New York, pursuing her musical theater career. Kim had dwindling family connections in Wabash, but Pete and Susie were a strong and important anchor…