During our fourth week of U.S. Navy boot camp, we found ourselves in the service of the mess hall. The navy called it Service Week, and we’d been warned about it for the previous three weeks. Everyone said it would be a sweet little piece of hell made up of the most interminable days imaginable. To […]
Service Week and The Longest Day Read More »
People love to watch disasters unfold, especially from the comfort of their overstuffed sofas, remotes in hand. They may say it’s because they’re concerned about the people involved, and perhaps they are, or they enjoy seeing the sheer power of Mother Nature on display, but I’ve always thought it was because we all have a
Hand Me that Remote: Watching the Disaster in Real Time Read More »
“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be”- Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night This week has been a flurry of activity for me. Lesson plans and rosters need attention, and I’m working hard to memorize my new class schedule. Another semester has blossomed, and another round of
The Road to the Whiteboard and the Power of Pretending Read More »
Hurricanes are terrifying. They cause damage and destroy people’s lives. They’re unpredictable and relentless. They remind us of our frailty and mortality. Still, some people like them. Why, you ask? Well, one reason is they give folks a chance to look smart when dispensing arcane meteorological wisdom. It’s the storm surge that causes most of
It’s Always the Storm Surge, and Other Nuggets of Wisdom from the Land of Hurricanes Read More »
This morning, I realized again that, just over two months ago, I turned fifty years old. Not that I make a habit of forgetting my age, but sometimes things hit you, and other times they hit you, you know? Imagine, for instance, thinking one day that you could stand to lose a couple of extra
A couple of months ago, I came before you, friends and readers, to herald the return of that nexus of alternate dimensions, spiritual possession, unexplained murders, damn fine coffee, and cherry pie that is Twin Peaks. Now, with thirteen episodes in the rear-view, I’m back to report on my findings. First things first: It’s been
Checking in on Twin Peaks: The Return Read More »