Recently, there was a dustup at Reed College, my alma mater.  Like elsewhere, the students are balking against the curriculum.  In particular, they resent being dragged through the Humanities, a survey course on western culture that begins with ancient Greece.  To focus

Recently, I spent an hour dealing with one of the companies that provides credit score histories. I didn’t have a problem.  I was trying to prevent one after the business was hacked.  I’m not clear how these enterprises came into existence, or why they’re allowed to  track my

When one woman raises her voice to push forward the boundary on women’s rights, other women stand ready to play whack-a-mole with her head. (Blogs 2/3/27, 11/7/17)  Most recently, two former French sex goddesses of the 1950-60s, Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot,  (Click)  ha

Not long ago, a blog reader wrote that the titles of my essays often hooked her into reading the text.  But of course!  That is my intention and I especially like it when I can draw a connection between my humble text and the work of a great artist.   Unfortunately, the new dictat

Language is a frail bridge upon which to send out our thoughts and feelings over time and space.  Where is the congruity between puffs of air and our inner lives?  To achieve communion with someone outside ourselves is akin to magic. That bridge becomes frailer when we factor in age

As much as I admire Hillary Clinton, as much as I acknowledge she is a role model for upcoming generations of women, as successfully as she’s mastered numerous tasks, from First Lady to United States Senator, to Secretary of State, to becoming a creditable candidate for the nation�

The other day I found my quilter friend at the retirement center working on a machine, stitching leafy patterns over her latest creation. Fascinated, I stood breathing over her should until she stopped to ask if I wanted to learn the process.  “Yes, please,” I blurted out before

Mystery writer, Susan Stoner and I produce Just Read It, a 10 minute YouTube program reviewing national best sellers. We air them 8 times a year and invite a local writer to join us each time.  We’ve been at our project for two years and our audience continues to grow.  Naturally,

One of the challenges of living at my retirement center is keeping up with the reading recommendations of fellow inmates.  My list is long and growing. Nonetheless, when I heard about an article on brain tumor surgery, one that obliges a patient to remain awake while the surgeon saws

One of my Facebook friends remarked about the number of angry people in his group and wondered if some of them were as angry as they seemed, or if they accentuated their feelings for the sake of having an impact? Facebook scribbles and tweets do invite us to focus on the itch of the m