Homeless
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A neighborhood stroll turns into a laborious attempt to help a homeless woman find shelter. And my efforts yielded real knowledge: She wasn’t homeless, and I wasn’t really helping. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lifestyle
Buberian Obesity
On a chance afternoon walk in late May, I had occasion to witness an incident that instantly established in my mind the connection between Martin Buber’s world view and the cause of morbid obesity. Let me give a little background . . . Continue reading
Dangerous Absolution
Beware of paying off foolish debts. Better to demonize hack creditors knowing it’s optional bondage than to twist fully conscious in the grip of implacable destiny. I only say this because I had a bad week. Continue reading
Ich bin Frau
A man entered a stall in the women’s showers and began to wash prior to his swim. Hastily wrapping a towel about myself, I pointed out his mistake. “No,” he corrected me. “I’m a woman.” I was dumbfounded. How to contradict that? But I couldn’t finish my shower unless I did. Continue reading
Peter Prevails
Who I am? Not Peter Prevails, but admit it. Didn’t hearing those syllables genuinely positively impress you? I know nothing about literary things, but I would say there’s alliteration in it and an onomatopoetic effect. Peter Prevails. It sounds great. That’s what I mean with the ‘o’ word. It sounds like you’d prevail. Now, Eddie Wins. That’s a good name, too. I could live with Eddie Wins. Easily. But tell me, which one sounds like you’re trying harder? And is that really what you want them to think? Continue reading
Dad’s New Digs
My 94-year-old father dove down the basement stairs backwards June 26, 2015. The aftereffects of that fall signaled a sea change: Dad had to move somewhere safe, like a senior care home. The move was effected, but by the end of the process, I felt I had delivered him over to the devil. Continue reading
Contest Frenzy
Hooray! I’m entering an essay contest. What fun! What excitement! What hopes have suddenly opened up before me! If I write the best 200-word essay on why I would like to own and operate this gorgeous New England B&B, I win the B&B! No strings attached. Continue reading
Some Other Where
Two loungers lay on a sun-drenched pier by a gorgeous lake one picture-perfect day, thumbing their smartphones. I winced. The cell phone has indeed become indispensible. We do not transcend through it, we are not enriched by it. But we can’t put it down. How come? Continue reading
Urban Undulation
My neighborhood was invaded in late Spring by a fragment of a diaspora. They’re down there now. Having a good time. Living it up. Hanging loose. Smoking. Making noise. And what happened? Nothing too uncommon. Noisy neighbors moved in. Life has been hell here ever since. Continue reading
Censorial Ennui
Focus on the obscenities the censors let slide. Keep Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy, Snowden in Russia. You’ll be safe, protected. Oh, yes, monitored, too, but that doesn’t hurt. You won’t feel a thing. Continue reading