From the monthly archives:

January 2010

HOLDEN CAULFIELD IS ALIVE AND WELL…

January 31, 2010

I’m almost hesitant to jump into the massive collection of stories about J.D. Salinger’s death last week. So many good articles have been written about the literary genius whose last days were spent in isolation in New Hampshire…away from the probing eyes of the public. Most of those articles were by people who either knew [...]

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AHA! MOMENT: exclamation of surprise or delighted discovery, c.1386, from ah + ha.

January 30, 2010

In spite of the fact that she has popularized the idea lately, Oprah Winfrey did not invent the term “AHA! MOMENT.” It is a term with which I have been familiar throughout my life. But I have to admit that I was shocked to discover that it dates all the way back to the 14th [...]

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EAVESDROPPING: listening in on a neighbor's conversation.

January 29, 2010

When I took a writing course at Brown University two years ago we learned the techniques of eavesdropping in normal, everyday experiences. It was a good exercise in listening carefully to the ACTUAL way conversations emerge…not necessarily the way writers frequently like to depict them. Actual conversations between people aren’t on point much of the [...]

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CONFIRMATION without CONFORMATION

January 29, 2010

CONFIRMATION: Something that confirms, as a corroborative statement or piece of evidence CONFORMATION: The structure or outline of an item or entity, determined by the arrangement of its parts. Well, as I somewhat expected, there has been speedy and ample response to the President’s State of the Union Address by Members of Congress. Yesterday there [...]

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ASIDE FROM THE WORDS

January 28, 2010

There is an abundance of opportunity for you to read the words of President Obama’s State of the Union Address on the web, in the papers, and elsewhere today. I won’t duplicate those opportunities here. Rather, I thought I’d share a few “asides” which caught my attention. Please bear with me. + It always bothers [...]

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ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

January 27, 2010

I had a dream tonight. It seems like the dream went on all night long, although I’m told that’s unlikely. It seemed as if I was supposed to make my dream the topic of today’s posting, but I’ve spent the past hour trying hard to reject it. There are lots of political issues swirling around [...]

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THE STATE OF THE UNION: more than an address

January 26, 2010

We are just one day away from President Obama’s first official State of the Union Address, and I am anxious. Oh, he will present it with great oratory skill, and there will be the usual applause, standing, sitting, and ceremony to which I have referred before. It’s not the presentation which gives me anxiety…it is [...]

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ETHNICITY: identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.

January 25, 2010

Watching the horror and chaos in Haiti over the past week has given me pause to think about the rich ethnicity which exists in our own country. It is often a source of negativity by some, but for me it is a richness which we too easily deny. It would appear that in places like [...]

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BOO: an exclamation of contempt or disapproval

January 24, 2010

We went to a basketball game last night that should have been a resounding victory for the home team. Throughout the game the home team led by a serious margin and played like champions. In the closing minutes of the game the style of play evaporated and the visiting team took advantage of it. Regulation [...]

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A BOOK, A SUNNY DAY, AND A GOOD FEELING

January 23, 2010

Yesterday was one of those days when I didn’t feel like doing much. No particular reason…I just wanted to crash. Consequently, I picked up a James Patterson paperback novel, Pop Goes the Weasel, and spent part of the day in our sun room remembering Alex Cross and his morally-laced detective escapades. It’s an old one, [...]

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