180

We sometimes hear people say, “I’ve changed my opinion 360 degrees on that.” It’s likely they mean 180 degrees, or enough to reverse course, not spin completely around. I’m sure most just want to say they’ve changed their minds, so it’s not a big deal. However, it seems to me it’s a bigger deal when … Continue reading 180 →

Dualities

“Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” “If you criticize Israel, that means you are antisemitic.” “If you question the president, you must hate your country.” There are many examples. These statements represent the “either-or” fallacy. Of course, a person might not agree with everything their country (or their president) does … Continue reading Dualities →

What’s the Point?

“We all are going to die,” at least according to a prominent senator. This observation leads to two conclusions, both of which are unsatisfying. One is that religion (Christianity, according to the senator) will provide “salvation” in the next life, so we don’t need to fix things in this life. The other is that no … Continue reading What’s the Point? →

Constants

In the middle of winter, someone crashed into one of the low brick walls that mark the entrance to the neighborhood. Significant damage was done, but nobody seemed to know anything about the accident. For a few months, I suspected that a snowplow had hit the wall, but the county office couldn’t confirm my conjecture. … Continue reading Constants →

Kids’ Stuff

Let’s review a few rules many of us used to learn. Most of these are in the tradition of my parents and fellow Pennsylvanians. I’m concerned that the instant gratification and solipsism of our time might have already taken their toll on what was once considered common knowledge. I also worry about what might happen … Continue reading Kids’ Stuff →

The Cheese Stands Alone

Everything we do is part of a vast chain of events. Sometimes things work out to our advantage. Sometimes not. There are no guarantees. While we might want to minimize suffering and give our children a better world, the outcome of all our efforts is at best uncertain. We might long for stability, peace, and … Continue reading The Cheese Stands Alone →

The Unthinkable

Back in college, when we discussed the influences of “nature and nurture,” genetics and upbringing, inevitably the notion of a child “raised by wolves” came up. Fictional stories like Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan or Mowgli from Kipling’s The Jungle Book made us wonder what would happen if a child was left alone in the wild. … Continue reading The Unthinkable →

Musings on Pogo

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” This line, from the comic strip, Pogo, by Walt Kelly, signaled the stark realization that we are responsible for the condition of the Earth. While it may be tempting to blame multinational corporations or "big government" for any damage, we accept it as the price we … Continue reading Musings on Pogo →

Do Not Harm

I’m grateful to Domenic Spera for being a good mentor to me. My first year in grad school was also his first year as a faculty member at Indiana University. I was privileged to be assigned to his Jazz Ensemble, and I benefitted from his teaching more than I realized at the time. I’ve written … Continue reading Do Not Harm →

Loss

My Dad came from a generation that rarely shared emotions. I don’t recall him ever telling me, “I love you.” I remember he cried on three occasions – when his mother died, when Mom died, and when my brother had a stroke. His emotions did become more apparent in the last decade or so of … Continue reading Loss →