I was in a band in college with these guys from the local art institute. One day the guitarist, for his own amusement, printed up stickers that forcefully expressed, in but four words, the sentiment that art was inferior to the purchase of tacos. I’m fine with either, although I hadn’t bought any art for …
Tag Archives: Sitrep
Batter Up
Twenty summers ago I made myself pancakes every day over vacation. I couldn’t get away with it now, but it was awesome and I kind of miss it. *** When the twins were little I’d make them pancakes (or, as Twin 2 called them, “panpakes”). This was less pleasant. Serving a brace of toddlers breakfast …
Me Again
La vieillesse est un naufrage. – Chuck D I’ve been busy! Working on this thing, and this other thing, and another thing too. Tell you more later. In the meantime spare a thought for my laptop, which winterlong faced this thing: Now then. I am not bad at shooting baskets. I wouldn’t say I’m …
Ain’t No Cure
This summer, man. Strikes and gutters, ups and downs. It was the kind of summer that had me contemplating breaking glass on The Emergency Plan, but then I read this: “… nearly all of the people I served with were unfulfilled in their expectations of the whole affair, myself included.” No kepi for me! *** …
Summer Slide
Maybe it’s the weather or it’s something like that, but I’m done here for a while. In the meantime: 1. Vita Breva Every day I post an obituary worth reading at @passed_present. Check it out. As spake Ian Dury, “There ain’t half been some clever [folks].” 2. Ars Longa Good heavens, your walls. …
Cleaveland
America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland. – Tennessee Williams I spent a few days in Cleveland in June. It really liked it, and into the bargain found the ten-hour drive each way positively restorative. That’s lockdown for you. To my additional surprise, I found …
Lost and Found
When I first started teaching, I received the gift of a plant for my classroom. It joined me from school to school, from Washington State to New York State to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Then, when my dad went into an old folks home, I moved it to his room, where, after a few months, …
Winter Campaign
The state of affairs having displeased me, I drove up to New Hampshire on Sundays to volunteer for one of the candidates. This was my most substantive engagement with a presidential campaign since reading What It Takes. On my first afternoon, I walked in and introduced myself to another volunteer. Amiable guy, and we talked …