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What did I write at the beginning of August? I started with Weltschmerz, that state of sadness and depression when the world is not as we think it should be. Its literal translation from the German is “world pain.” … Read More
Twenty-two years ago I spent my first weekend on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. I brought my bike and explored the island; I swam in the ocean; and, I ate locally raised flounder stuffed with crabmeat. Then I went back to my home in … Read More
A reassuring lie is so much easier to grasp than an inconvenient truth. I love how the cartoon below captures this idea. What I hope you’re getting from the various posts I’ve done of late is … Read More
I called myself a tenor for most of my adult life, and then, one afternoon in early August, I learned I wasn’t. I’m not proud of my reaction. Part One As you know (from Sasha’s post last week), I spent … Read More
Alpha mom is away at summer camp this week, so it’s me, Sasha, back again to cover for her. And I’ve been given carte blanche — literally. I can write about anything I want. She was planning to write about summer … Read More
This is a post on what is called “The Backfire Effect.” Essentially, it holds that: Confronting a belief with facts to the contrary only strengthens the initial belief. I was discouraged when I sat down to write this post. How could it be, … Read More
The world is filled with too much hatred, too much fighting and too much mistrust of others. So reads the opening line from a website called Holiday Insights. They were writing about The International Day of Friendship, July 30, calling it “an … Read More
All politics is local. I thought of this aphorism today as I watched the opening scenes of the Republican National Convention out of Cleveland. Don’t worry; that’s the last I’ll mention the RNC. At least for today. Instead, this blog … Read More
We’re taking a long, slow look at bias — that set of unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that inform our behavior without our being aware — this week. And, given the news we’re surrounded with, it’s timely. My first … Read More