I spent a ton of time the other day hooked up to a phone tree that went around in circles and ultimately failed to answer my question or even deal with it at all. I finally gave up. But while … Continue reading →
Last week I visited two elderly relatives who’ve recently moved to an assisted living facility not too far from me. They’re in their mid-eighties, and although they’ve been married for more than 50 years they live in separate wings of … Continue reading →
I’ve been revisiting the memoir Self-Consciousness by John Updike, which I first read when it was published in 1989. Updike is best known for his novels, but I consider them his weakest genre. I much prefer the short stories and … Continue reading →
Here’s a touching column on lasting marital love by Tim Muldoon (hat tip: the Anchoress). He writes “But no less intense is the feeling of radical security we have built together: the knowledge that through all things we can count … Continue reading →
The news that college graduates have been having trouble finding jobs, especially positions in their fields, should come as no surprise whatsoever. Different generations have different patterns of luck, and those who come of age in a time of economic … Continue reading →
Recently I saw a depressing article in the NY Times about the decline of the telephone conversation. And the comments were even sadder. It seems the phone is going the way of the dodo and the calling card. People would … Continue reading →
It’s one of those ugly days, overcast and rainy and generally gloomy. And it matches the news lately. The earthquake and tsunami, terrible and horrible. Libya. Obama fiddling and dribbling and acting so clueless that “Hamlet-like” would be a compliment. … Continue reading →
I thought you might like to read some quotes from philosopher of science Karl Popper: You can choose whatever name you like for the two types of government. I personally call the type of government which can be removed without … Continue reading →
There are heaps of snow outside my door right now, and in that I’m hardly alone. From midwest to northeast we’ve had a huge disruptive blizzard. Some places have had the pleasure of an ice storm as well, which brings … Continue reading →
The situation in Egypt keeps conjuring up memories of Iran for me. This seems as though it might become relevant again. I hope not; I hope that as events unfold it will turn out there was no analogy after all. … Continue reading →
Yesterday I took on the chore of trying to tidy up and streamline my filing cabinets. Not one of my favorite activities. But in a way it is—at least the fantasy I have regarding how the files will end up. … Continue reading →
Susan Jacoby has a lot of relatives who lived to be old. Mega-old, in fact. And, from what she’s seen of the debilities of extreme old age, she doesn’t much like the prospect of getting there herself. Oh, it’s okay … Continue reading →