Thinking about it
In school we are mostly taught to take in information and then give it back in an exam. And that’s important to learn to do in order to have a backlog of knowledge and the ability to negotiate the world. … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Friendship
More evidence of the depressing increase in political polarization and hatred
I had a friend about fifteen years ago, we’ll call her Marjorie. We were fairly good friends for about seven years, and then we both moved away and ended up living over an hour from each other and the friendship … Continue reading →
Sharing food: do you care?
Here’s someone who does not enjoy sharing his food at a restaurant: When I accept an invite to eat out, I’m not cuffing myself to my dinner or lunch or brunch companion(s). I’m simply saying sure, I’ll go to the … Continue reading →
Songs of friendship and comfort
It’s a genre, and a rather large one. Here are just a few examples – heavy on the Bee Gees, of course. I always liked Ringo’s quirky voice: Early-ish Bee Gees: Got to include this one. And she’s got my … Continue reading →
The political divide
Here’s a new piece on a well-worn topic: Keyboard conflicts occur every day across the United States. A not-infrequent outcome is that for political reasons, people cast away into outer cyberdarkness friends and even relatives: they are “unfriended.” Unfriending represents … Continue reading →
The zeitgeist has passed me by
Actually, I’m not sure I ever was fully with the program, even when I was young. But in the last couple of years, as I watch the world from my perch here at a computer in New England, I’ve become … Continue reading →
The day of the leftovers
Since there have been fewer large get-togethers for Thanksgiving this year, I assume people have fewer leftovers because they haven’t cooked huge turkeys. Then again, there are probably more people who do have leftovers, because more people have done their … Continue reading →
Talking about politics
Commenter “Rufus T. Firefly” writes: I also find Politics a fairly boring topic most of the time, especially in polite company. When getting together with family why wouldn’t want have sincere conversations about how each other are doing, what is … Continue reading →
Reading Orwell as a child
I was about eleven or twelve or perhaps thirteen years old when I first read Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. It made an indelible impression on me, probably greater than it would have if I’d waited till at least college age. I’m … Continue reading →
Dershowitz: on being ostracized because of politics
[Hat tip: commenter “Barry Meislin.”] This new piece by Alan Dershowitz is interesting to me for many reasons, not the least because he demonstrates his usual sense and yet continues to find it difficult to surrender his allegiance to the … Continue reading →
Wonderful hoped-for news on Sharon W’s husband
In case you missed it, I thought you’d like to see the update commenter “Sharon W” posted yesterday: I am waiting for the oxygen delivery as my husband will be discharged as soon as I receive the home instructions and … Continue reading →
Conversations with friends: “Trump did nothing”
Now that we’re all housebound, I find myself talking on the phone to friends more often. Sometimes they’re people I’m not often in touch with, and – since I don’t ordinarily bring up politics in conversation anyway – most of … Continue reading →