Storm? What storm?

Storm? What storm?

Little children have so much they can teach us! Picture the toddler finding him/herself in a public space and momentarily out of sight of Mommy. There erupts from that pint-sized body, a heart-wrenching, ear-piercing wail. Should a stranger come along and attempt to...
Living a dream?

Living a dream?

Isn’t dreaming just the greatest? It’s limitless what our brain can spin as a tale in our sleep. We can fly, build (anything!), be movie stars, famous musicians, scholars, sleuths extraordinaire, and on and on. The sense of reality during one such session is amazing!...
Of webs and wonders

Of webs and wonders

Spiders, for all their ‘ick’ factor, or ‘eek’ factor, are fascinating little engineers. The precise geometry of their webs is second to none. One morning at home, with the sun glinting just right, it was possible to see a single, eight-foot-long strand of silk...
More than a Theme?

More than a Theme?

One technique used by musical composers is ‘variations on a theme,’ the theme being a short passage of several measures. They may work it into the bass line of the music or use it with different instrumentation for effect, then repeat it in a slower movement, this...
If you’re happy and you know it . . .

If you’re happy and you know it . . .

As I write on this American day of Thanksgiving, I’m painfully conscious of the irony of this holiday, this Holy Day! We spend massive amounts of money to celebrate it, for travel, for food, for decorations. It’s a time of family gatherings, joyous reunions, happy...
Tragedy Overturned

Tragedy Overturned

A chidren’s story tells the tale of a little orphaned bird fortunate to be taken in by a mother duck. She had misgivings as the poor waif was rather ugly, wrong color, wrong- shaped head, strange beak, and maybe worst of all, he couldn’t quack! He just made terrible...
What step are we on?

What step are we on?

Evidence shows that Americans are captivated by makeovers, especially extreme makeovers. Whether it be weight loss, plastic surgery, classic cars, derelict houses or neighborhoods, there’s something satisfying in seeing the improvement. Some want to see the...
Wait for the signal, y’all!

Wait for the signal, y’all!

Autumn glory. It’s inevitable that someone will land on this phrase to describe the wonder that is the magical transformation of forests and leafy parks during this annual change of season. My commute from home to the office has been a delight this year, observing the...
The Father’s Love Notes?

The Father’s Love Notes?

I’ll confess it’s probably as a septuagenarian that I make this observation, but I think our current dearth of handwritten notes is a telling sign of the disintegration occurring in our society largely as a result of the now ubiquitous, but mis-named phenomenon,...
Soaking up the Son

Soaking up the Son

We humans are absorbers. We absorb all kinds of things, toxic and non. We absorb everything that is in the air (allergy sufferers need no reminding). We absorb what we eat and drink. We absorb topical creams and ointments applied to our skin. We absorb data from what...