Stopping for Death

  The American culture shines in crisis–think about the firemen laying their lives down for hundreds and hundreds in the Twin Towers in NYC at 9/11. Think about the effort that has been expended in saving the one child who has slipped into a well–the hours of strategy and effort for the rescue of one precious life. We shine at the time of…

haiku: American Society 2007

I wrote these haiku on culture, choice, and contentment on the plane on our way to South America.  ********************* Distinction comes in two ways: hardship or needles that carve a tattoo. ********************* Distinction is the gift of achievement or the piercing on a lip. *********************** 

Outraged After Thanksgiving!

Yesterday our daughter had to work. She is the hostess at a cute, little restaurant nearby. Wayne and I decided to see a movie. After making a selection, we picked a cinema close to us. We had heard this movie would be sold out, so we went early to purchase our tickets. We had about…

The Dream of Freedom

  It is 6 AM. The house is dark and quiet. I am soaking in the sweet, brief solitude. Soon the din and stir of the crowd will rule the house. A cold front came in yesterday and cooled down our Texas autumn heat wave. The red oak in my backyard still isn’t red. The cool…

Cooked and Carved

When Wayne got home from work, he carved the turkeys, and I made the gravy. We put it all in the fridge for tomorrow.   

Deconstructionism, Salt, and Sugar

Rockwell’s “Thanksgiving” Deconstructionism dismisses the value of anything it touches–in literature or culture. It dismantles, even splinters the structure itself, questioning the blueprint of the framework in the first place. Ken, in a recent post of mine, Narcissism, on the death of ceremony, made an astute comment that the philosophy of deconstructionism is one of the root causes of the rejection of…

The Juice and Justice

Why am I writing about OJ Simpson? Because he is in the news again. Who cares? I do. Because I am profoundly interested in justice and the ramification of injustice in our society.  And I believe the American culture shapes our views of justice–some of them are correct, almost innate, and others are incorrect–the result of  a society…

haiku: meetings all day long

there is just something about a meeting that lasts all day that’s stifling. ************************* I wanted to jump out the window and join the free people outside.

‘I’m Nobody. Who are You?’

Britney Spears, uh, no uh, Lindsay Lohan, uh, no uh, Paris Hilton, uh… I’m Nobody. Who are You? by Emily Dickinson I’m nobody. Who are you? Are you nobody too? Then there’s a pair of us–don’t tell! They’d banish us you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public like a frog To tell your name…

Escapism

Last night we picked up the guest speaker for our banquet with a group of special friends and went to a restaurant near the hotel. We celebrated my birthday a day late. Wayne read that Coal Vine’s had received great reviews, so we tried it. I really liked the place. It is an upscale, yet…