It’s January. In most places, the weather is lousy. Our New Year’s Resolutions may already have fizzled. It’s another Covid surge – maybe Surge #25, but who’s counting? As we head into the 3rd pandemic year, Covid is yet again isolating us from friends, family, and activities that bring us joy. And if we don’t […]
With some regularity while out and about, I’ll encounter a child being verbally abused. A parent or caretaker may be aggressive, demeaning, or threatening to the child. The child’s pain is palpable, as he tries to compact himself into an even smaller package. Lest we ever forget, in these moments a parent’s absolute power over […]
Around the corner from me a few boys have a garage band. It seems to consist of a couple of electric guitars and a drummer. They’re loud, enthusiastic, and practice in all weathers. And they sound good, really good. Garage bands are supposedly a throwback to the early years of rock music, when they were […]
Boy sopranos sing like angels. There is a unique and lovely quality to a little boy’s voice, one that can take on even more richness for a short time after puberty. The Vienna Boys Choir has been enchanting audiences for hundreds of years, as have, more recently, groups such as the Harlem and the Newark […]
I don’t really like lemonade. While I most appreciate the yin and yang of lemons and sugar, for me lemonade is a head trip. However, I think children’s lemonade stands are irresistible, and I never fail to patronize them. Lemonade stands generally consist of a table, most likely a steadfast and unassuming old table. Then […]
I’m acquainted with a Golden Retriever named Mozart. People might say he possesses two natures, like the original Mozart, both scatological and divine. But it’s more accurate to say he just does better than most of us in integrating the dualities common to all of us. As a dog, it’s not always easy holding onto […]
How is it that a car crash can tie up traffic on both sides of the highway? An accident can be completely contained on one side of the highway divider; yet traffic can come to a virtual standstill on the other side. We call it rubbernecking – implying that we may have to work pretty […]