Who am I, why am I here … and why have I had so many jobs? — I’m a deep thinker from way back. As a small child, I recall wondering, for example, why my first grade teacher was so unhappy. Her name was Mrs. Sullivan and she didn’t seem to like first-graders. Since then, I’ve discovered that teaching is a profession that can make it difficult…

Lemonade seems unlikely — Normally, I awaken at 3 am just because, but this morning something wasn’t quite right. In fact, cat noises and scurrying alerted me something was definitely off. I decided the best move was to get up, lurch into the kitchen, grab a chilled soda and some chips, and turn on…

CNN sells its soul for gold and cash and crypto — You have things to do, and by the time this reaches print, another mass shooting will have caught your attention, so I won’t rant and ramble too long or too deeply. Forget about the normal journalistic prelude: the Who and the What and the When and the Where. Trump and…

Strange twists in retirement — I don’t want to write, because it doesn’t pay. It’s like crime but instead of the threat of prison, disappointment stalks you like a lame, monochromatic unicorn. Yet whenever I read a Medium article, I’m compelled to add my two cents in the form of a rejoinder to the last…

Hell’s Geezers and the practice of adulting — When I was young and idealistic, I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (ZAMM) but I didn’t finish it. I rode a motorcycle at the time and, frankly, the advice to perform all the maintenance on my own vehicle scared the bejeesus out of me. I later discovered…

Free verse —

It’s not because we aren’t trying — In the literal darkness before the dawn, I prayed to the gods of electricity and turned on the lights. I reluctantly got going. I’m well into my day now, and it’s just before 6 am. This is because I woke up at 4 am, and after 30 minutes of wondering…

It’s depressing how many criminals are out there — Long ago, before I was jaded and bitter and old and generally disappointed in humanity, I posted several items for sale on Craigslist. It was not the first time, but it would be the last time anyone came indoors to view my wares. I got scammed, I guess. About a…

An open letter to everyone who leads meetings — Dear Leaders, I don’t want to be in charge. Call it laziness, avoidance, low confidence, or a lifetime of remarkable clarity about my limitations — but whatever label seems appropriate, don’t hate me for criticizing our epidemic of lackluster leadership. As you read this breezy tome, you may see people…