Original anecdotes, commentary, rumination, and occasional pontification.
MARCH 13, 2021 – Yesterday marked an anniversary—the last time I rode a bus; my last day at my downtown office; the day I sat for 20 minutes across a table from a voluble guy, who experienced severe symptoms the following day, winding up on a hospital ventilator and nearly succumbing to The Plague. I …
MARCH 2, 2021 – Yesterday, while walking home from my skiing, I pondered material for today’s post. A fertile patch: news items I’d scrolled through an hour before, just before heading out the door. One story in particular was Sunday’s CPAC appearance by you-know-who and a statement by South Dakota Governor Noem that “We aren’t …
FEBRUARY 27, 2021 – Yesterday evening our five-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter was working hard at a life-size drawing of “make believe” on a large sheet of paper. When I approached, she waved me off. “You’re not allowed to look yet, Grandpa!” she said, “It’s not done yet.” Obediently, I repaired to a nearby chair to continue my …
FEBRUARY 25, 2021 – After practicing law all day, what did I do yesterday evening? I watched Nuremberg, the 2000 mini-series starring Alec Baldwin. This cinematic experience was the inevitable sequel to my having watched Tokyo Trial. (See my 2/23/21 post.) Despite some historical inaccuracies, Nuremberg provides a reasonably satisfactory overview of the proceedings against …
FEBRUARY 24, 2021 – My wife and I have been watching The Crown on Netflix. I’m surprised. I’ve never been interested in British Royalty—they’re British and they’re royalty. Besides, I’ve always thought the current members were off kilter; not up to the job. Now I’m learning that apparently the Queen lacks a normal range of …
FEBRUARY 23 2021 – Recently, I watched on Netflix the four-episode, historical drama, Tokyo Trial (2016). It’s the Pacific (war) Theater counterpart to Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) and mini-series Nuremberg (2000). A Japanese-Canadian co-production, Tokyo Trial was co-directed by a Dutchman and an American and filmed mostly in . . . Lithuania. Nominated for Best …
FEBRUARY 21, 2021 – Yesterday I spent two-and-a-half hours transacting business at a car dealership. During long waits, I had no choice but to observe and ponder the goings-on around me—I can’t stand wasting time just “waiting,” which is why I take writing and reading material wherever I go, but yesterday, I’d forgotten. (Beyond a …
FEBRUARY 3, 2021 – Today a truck with an onboard machine will appear in our driveway to shred decades’ worth of paper. In the pile is every sheet containing an SSN or bank/investment account number. A few weeks ago, I’d experimented with a primitive alternative. It didn’t go well. In the first place, fire is …
FEBRUARY 1, 2021 – On Saturday I enjoyed an overdue telephone conversation with my good friend Derek, a 35-year old graphic designer from L.A. By the close of our talk, enrichment outweighed regret for not having talked since May. I met Derek two years ago at our co-working space in downtown Minneapolis. He worked for …
JANUARY 27, 2021 – Yesterday was crowded with work-related demands, routines of daily existence, and more “breaking news.” I couldn’t enjoy the sun-filled outdoors until it was no longer sun-filled. Not until 9:30 in the evening did I grab skis and escape. In the dark, the “banana-peel” ice on alley and sidewalks was too treacherous …
JANUARY 25, 2021 – In retirement, my dad took lots of photos with his classic Canon AE-1 SLR. He didn’t snap away indiscriminately. He made judicious use of his 36mm film and was persnickety about what he “shot” and how. Film was too expensive and his eye too sharp for a shotgun approach. After Dad …
JANUARY 22, 2021 – Yesterday my book club met via Zoom to discuss our latest “assignment”—The Contest – The 1968 Election and the War for American’s Soul by Michael Schumacher (See Monday’s post). Geezers now, we readers were 12 to 14 (me) in that watershed year. By 1967, I’d become a certifiable news nerd. I …
JANUARY 18, 2021 – I’m a third of the way into The Contest – The 1968 Election and the War for American’s Soul by Michael Schumacher. As members of my family can attest, the book is so riveting, I had to “sneak read” during someone else’s protracted turn in a late-night card game. The book’s …
JANUARY 1, 2021 – This morning I took an early walk through the “tree garden” in the woods adjacent to the Red Cabin. My wife, our son and daughter-in-law remained back at the cabin—lounging, making coffee and waiting for the outside temperature to rise from 12F to a level more conducive to going . . …
DECEMBER 25, 2020 – For years our family sent out an annual Christmas letter and family photo. My wife arranged for the photo. I wrote the letter and added a touch of DYI artwork for the “letterhead.” Somewhere along the line, however, the effort faded. For one thing, it seemed a little disingenuous to be …
DECEMBER 23, 2020 – Yesterday I was hard at work, fielding incoming email, firing off out-going messages; reviewing this document, revising that one; hitting a new snag here, devising a solution over there. Suddenly . . . ping . . . an email from my friend and piano collaborator, Sally Scoggin. We’d last rehearsed in …
DECEMBER 22, 2020 – . . . Not to be confused with “The Wise Men.” I used to think Christmas my freshman year of college was the worst ever—for the simple reason that our semester-end final exams were scheduled for the week after Christmas vacation, as it was called. I wasn’t the only student disturbed …
DECEMBER 20, 2020 – Call me old-fashioned, but I love Christmas. The day isn’t not my favorite, though. Thanksgiving is—because it’s the unofficial start of Advent, the month-long Christmas season, which I like for reasons that would fill . . . a large sack in the back of an airborne sleigh. As I’ve revealed above, …
DECEMBER 19, 2020 – Recently, while combing through boxes of old papers, I discovered my “day file” from a year of my early law practice. The file contained copies of letters bound at the top and arranged in chronological order. Back in the day, my secretary would make two copies of every letter or memo …
DECEMBER 2, 2020 – Recently, I launched a new project: studying Korean. I’m working from a beginner’s book given to me by our younger son’s birth mother, whom we’ve gotten to know quite well. So far, I’ve tackled, if not mastered, the letters (Hangul)—10 vowels, 14 consonants. This effort is akin to that of an …
NOVEMBER 26, 2020 – Fourteen years ago, I read Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. It was stuffed with unflattering images from our past, such as an Indian head on a pike—the Pilgrim’s equivalent of “Don’t Tread on Me!” Ever since, I’ve winced a little at the mention of “Thanksgiving.” But I shouldn’t. Examination of details of …
NOVEMBER 22, 2020 – With our world in turmoil (besides this being the anniversary of JFK’s assassination), there’s no dearth of topics for today’s post. For respite, therefore, I turn to something out of this world. I spent the past several days (and nights) at the Red Cabin. Whenever I’m there I see one wonder …
NOVEMBER 21, 2020 – Out of an unhappy event—the death of my brother-in-law Dean (See 10/26 post)—in these unhappy times, emerged the most uplifting experience since the onset of the pandemic. Yesterday, Dean’s oldest daughter, Hillary, arranged for a Zoom meeting among family and friends to share remembrances. Some of the people I knew; most …
NOVEMBER 7, 2020 – I woke just before the sun, slipped outside, and walked along the shoreline of Björnholm. Weather was splendid—perfect for posting trail signs in the “tree garden.” Biden’s ahead by the thinnest of margins. Will he prevail? That won’t end the drama. Consider Trump’s tirade Wednesday night—one so departed from truth, several …
NOVEMBER 5, 2020 – I was angry all day yesterday, despite Biden’s chance of winning by a hair, or more precisely, because of his chance of winning only by a hair. With effort I assumed a happy face for our five-year old granddaughter, who was happily oblivious to the impact that the election will have …