Category Archives: Culture

In the last few years I have watched some friends face the death of their spouse. In some cases it was quite unexpected. I watched their brokenness and their slow healing. And of course, I have wondered if I could … Continue reading →

In a recent Sprint commercial the narrator declares, “I have need—no, I have a right to be unlimited.” Now, I know that the commercial is about having an I-phone with unlimited minutes, but if you listen to the whole commercial, … Continue reading →

Every year I require my freshmen writing students to write an essay that explains the concept of equality. Our class discussion of equality usually leads us into confused talk about rights. In The Declaration of Independence rights and equality are … Continue reading →

At my college some students have tried to organize a chapter of the Secular Student Alliance. I don’t know how successful they have been. Mobilizing sophomores and freshmen around not believing in something seems challenging. Militant unbelief is something of … Continue reading →

In his essay “Hedonics” C. S. Lewis records being made uncommonly happy by the beauty of evening sunlight and the domestic scenes of people coming home from work. He points out that this pleasure did not force itself upon him … Continue reading →

Not long ago a fellow teacher at my college complained that a student was challenging the grades she assigned to papers. The student dismissed her grades as “merely her opinions”. The teacher showed me the rubric she used to evaluate … Continue reading →

George Whitman was too old to be a hippie or maybe even a beatnik. In 1951, at age 38 he opened a bookstore in Paris that became a magnet for a new generation of writers. A couple years later he … Continue reading →

We have a big and little dog at our house. Our big Doberman, Mira, will eat anything in sight so we usually feed the little dog, Tubby, separately. Often Tubby’s bowl is still on the floor when we let Mira … Continue reading →

I’m looking for a new doctor—one less judgmental and more open-minded. My old doctor had too many rules about how high a person’s blood pressure and cholesterol should be. He’s always on my case about losing weight and eating better. … Continue reading →

I like feeding the animals in the morning. I often feed Mira—Peter’s Doberman. Then Peter’s mealy amazon parrot, Jasmine.  (Where’s Peter?) And last Silver, the cat from next-door that adopted us. In feeding Silver, I am also feeding the feral … Continue reading →