Archive

The father of a dear friend died last month. In relaying the news to me, he said his father had “passed.” My mind immediately sought a grammatical object, knowing full… Read More

There’s a lot to be saddened about in the BP disaster. The damage to the gulf and shoreline may take a generation to recover, the economic loss to the region,… Read More

It’s time to think about Mother again. And then will come Father’s Day.  For many of us, it’s bittersweet to revisit our mothers and fathers, either in person or in… Read More

We are in a six-passenger compartment on the eight-hour train ride from Marrakesh to Fez. It is like a small ensemble theater company that will change characters as we move… Read More

Well, the bishops have their vestments in a twist again, as if they hadn’t created enough problems for themselves, swearing the victims of their colleagues’ sexual predations to secrecy. In… Read More

I’m having breakfast with a friend who has just returned from yet another country where he routinely explains to presidents and kings how to establish functioning telecommunications networks, or to… Read More

To talk or to listen, that is the question. The shrill chaos of a million tweets, blogs and call-in cable and radio shows has entranced us with the sounds of… Read More

To talk or to listen, that is the question. The shrill chaos of a million tweets, blogs and call-in cable and radio shows has entranced us with the sounds of… Read More

I’ve wrestled with my weight since I was ten years old. The range of that struggle has been substantial. I once lost 200 pounds only to have some of it… Read More

My father taught me to be on time. Being late was considered arrogant and implied that my time was somehow worth more than other people’s. On my grade school report… Read More

Vermonters have again decided in favor of equal rights for its diversifying citizenry. While there are some who see Vermont as The Pied Piper of New England, leading us down… Read More

When I was very young, we read about national and international events weeks after they occurred. Signal events in the Korean War, advances in nuclear science, or the discovery of… Read More