When I arrived at college in the mid 1950’s, I knew nothing about folk music. Pete Seeger was all the rage on campus and when I heard him sing Where Have All the Flowers Gone?, a lump formed in my throat. The song ended, I could do nothing but stand up and cheer. One could say mine

A friend changed the lunch venue on me the other day from a restaurant I knew well to one I didn’t. Not wanting to struggle with maps and downtown traffic, I suggested we postpone but my friend insisted. So, though I was reluctant, I wended my way along an unfamiliar route to find m

I don’t know who decided it was okay to ask old folks, like me, to restructure their wills to make charitable bequests, but I find these appeals offensive. I’ve no wish to be rushed to the grave, not even for a good cause. Nor do I want to feel guilty for popping off later rather

Two of the most dangerous words in any language are “should” and “ought.” Generally, they are used to create divisions between those who follow the rules and those who don’t. Society needs rules, of course, but few of them need the heft of Biblical standards. Most transgress

I admit it.  I can’t talk and chew gum at the same time.  Keeping my blog afloat while I finish the third edit of my memoir is beyond me.  I have 60 pages to go and at the glacial rate of 3 pages a day, I need to devote another 20 days of uninterrupted time to complete this versi

Christmas is almost here, and I’m already looking forward to turning the calendar page on 2017.  But it wasn’t all bad.  Science had a good year. Gene therapy made inroads in the fight against cancer.   Folks allergic to peanuts may soon have a treatment.  Even a man, paralyz

Without a doubt, the digital world is taking us where no man or woman has gone before.  The universe of the mind is rapidly melding with the natural one, creating infinite possibilities. Having reached the edge of the new frontier, we’re about to face unanticipated challenges, the

After 35 years on the bench, a federal appeals court judge is facing the sexual harassment charges of four women. Three staffers said he showed them pornographic photos in his office.  A fourth complained he suggested she workout naked.  (“The U. S. at a glance…” The Week, Dec

I pity the folks who will take care of me when I grow too old to help myself.  Like my mother, I don’t accept assistance easily.   Already, I’m having a tug of wills with the women who clean my apartment at the retirement center.  I can’t stop them from scrubbing my toilet,