Our friend, Don, celebrated his birthday with friends and, unexpectedly, a parade of soldiers. At first, I didn’t understand why Don bought a bunch of tiny tanks and soldiers until he informed us, “If Trump can have a parade, so can I. And mine will cost millions less.” In addition to being a mensch, Don …
As I write this, I’m atop one of the small peaks in the Catskills. I needed to go back to nature to reclaim my connection to nature. For the last couple of years, I have lived to work more than worked to live. I gave up the nomadic life I came to love to try …
I just finished the third book in a Lee Child series of novels featuring his protagonist, Jack Reacher. It’s a a series of twenty-nine books about a drifter who moves through the world clobbering the evil dudes who are taking advantage of the system for power or profit. When I was a boy, I enjoyed …
Apparently, some people take this blog of mine seriously. The other day, for example, a reader accused me of not living up to something I wrote and basically called me a hypocrite. Listen, writers are illusionists. In the moment, we might be very sincere about something, but that doesn’t make it the new King James …
I’m reading a novel. I’m always reading a novel, by the way, but this one is different than my usual diet of crime fiction, legal thrillers and anything by Stephen King. It’s called “The Goldfinch” by Jane Tartt. It’s about a thirteen year old boy who loses his mother in a tragic accident and what …
Beth and I are taking some downtime – a couple of days before we return to our normal schedule. We know from experience that a pause, a transitional moment when we do less, makes sense for our emotional wellbeing. As an American trained in a culture of doing, however, pausing brings on two distinct and …
As far back as I can remember, I have been accused of being “moody” by my parents. The behavior associated with the onset of moodiness was akin to a computer powering off. I would go numb, blank and disappear. During my time in therapy and the many group modalities I’ve experienced, I hoped that I …
It’s been a couple of powerful days in San Diego following a very full month. In this moment, I no longer feel so capable of weathering the difficult emotions in and around me. I’m not sure why, but it feels beyond my capacity to sustain my strength. I guess I’m growing weary of being a …
We are leaving New York for San Diego, today. One month after his death, our daughter’s boyfriend will be buried on Thursday. We have never been to San Diego, so a small part of me is looking forward to being two blocks away from the Pacific and exploring the Ocean Beach area. Our departed friend …
I haven’t been writing, but I certainly have been living a life worth writing about. Allow me to catch you up a bit… Our little home in the countryside has become a sanctuary for our youngest daughter, her closest friend and her canine companion. When we come home from work, it’s like it was in …