I am a chopper of wood and carrier of water, a keeper of bees, digger of soil, and washer of dishes, but when people ask me "what do you do" I usually satisfy them with "I'm in information technology." If they really want to know, I'll tell them about the decade as a wilderness guide. Some jobs are vocations, some are avocations, but that one was an evocation. I also wrangle pixels and try to herd them into representations of coherent thoughts, which is a provocation. :-)
“It’s a dog’s life” comes to us from the 16th century, when the expression referred to the general misery of the canine clan at the hands of their human masters. The idiom evolved into a proverb, “It’s a dog’s life – hunger and ease” a century later. Today the phrase continues its semantic odyssey, and … More A Dog’s Life
We’re finding enjoyment in politics again, at least for the moment. It may be a defense mechanism, a form of nervous mental laughter, or a “laugh or go crazy” response to institutionalized idiocy, but if you squint your eyes and look at it kind of sideways, politics can be funny. For the longest time we … More Hitting The Sweet Spot
We didn’t forget about you. Sometimes we get busy with those parts of our lives that pay the bills (and this isn’t one of those parts). Sometimes there isn’t much to say. Sometimes what we want to say would not be printed. And sometimes we write down what we think we want to say and, … More A Penny For Your Thoughts?
Whether we want it or not, we’re going to be hearing about guns and gun control for some time to come. There is a better than average chance that you already have a strong opinion on the subject, and there is a less than average chance that your opinion will ever change. Nevertheless, in keeping … More Staying On Target
We hear a lot about the wisdom of letting go. Letting go is often recommended by daytime television hosts and their guests. It’s almost a panacea for all the ailments of modern life. There are, of course, many things that should be let go, and some of them the quicker, the better. There is nothing … More Letting Go
We watched the State of the Union address last night. We watch those speeches no matter who occupies the White House, and though the words rarely move the needle for change, there is still a sense of watching history unfold. Whether we’re standing in ovation or scowling in our seats (like some of our celebrated … More In Their Own Words
Join us this week in sending up a chorus of “get over yourself” to our pixel nation of the habitually outraged. Granted, it is embarrassing to hear reports of a president openly insulting millions of people by referring to their homelands as…”outhouse?” countries. (You know what they said he said. Such language may be acceptable … More Get Over It – There’s Work to Do
The making and keeping of commitments is a basic requirement for a civil society. Civilization falls apart when people stop keeping promises. On a personal level, keeping commitments is necessary for self-esteem. In addition to keeping the promises we make to others, we need to keep the promises we make to ourselves, like sticking to … More Commitment
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day can be the most enjoyable time of the year. The kids and the grand kids are still home from school and busy making the holiday memories they will cherish the rest of their lives. The decorations are still up and the gifts are still new, but the … More A Moment of Clarity
We love this time of year, and the commingling of memories both personal and ancestral. No one knows how many centuries humans waited anxiously during the darkening days until the sun reversed its course on the Winter Solstice. The spirit of western civilization huddles by the fire in the long dark nights of countless northern … More A Time of Celebration
Outside The Box 