• Living Past Cynicism

      Whenever we have free time to let our mind wander, we contemplate a variety of ideas. but I venture to say that if you’re like me, cynicism is not one of the topics you think about during your mental meanderings.  I began thinking about it, however, after a satisfying talk with one of the readers of my book Dark Days on the Fairest Isle. She said some nice things about different aspects of the story, and in her  analysis made this comment about the character Derrick: “He is so cynical.” I was surprised; it was something I hadn’t thought about. Frankly, I liked writing about him and appreciated his…

  • What Are You Proud Of?

      Most of us are still trying to get used to being in 2020.  Reacting at the beginning of the year, some people could be heard saying that it wasn’t too long ago that everyone was buzzing about Y2K and all the many calamities we were afraid would come upon the world.  But their focus soon shifted to talking about the new decade (which really isn’t new yet, with a year to go), and if we were asked to recall highlights from the previous decade, many of us would be stumped to point out any. Well, how about memorable highlights from last year?  Can you recall some of them? One …

  • It’s the Middle That Matters

      Once again we are on the cusp of a new year, which looms large and challenging, yet promising, as new years usually are.   This one, 2020,  will be a leap year like 2016, which gave us plenty to worry about. Drumbeats are already alerting us to what may be ahead. Most of us are familiar with the words “Ring out the old, ring in the new” from  Tennyson’s famous elegiac poem In Memoriam. We like to repeat those words perhaps because they give us a sense that it’s possible to make a clean break with the past  and start over anew. But there is more to a new year…

  • Tidings of Great Joy

      December didn’t wait long  to come around, did it?  It seems that it was a mere breath ago that we were singing carols and wishing everybody “Merry Christmas.”  But no matter whether we have Grinch feelings about the season, starting with the Black Friday blitz, or whether we are eager for “chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” it’s a happy time. I hope you’ll be able to catch one of those television programs  that show Christmas Day arriving in the different time zones around the world. It will bring joy to your heart. December should usher in a season of joy. At least, that is our expectation. What is…

  • Our Various Accents

      Once again it’s time for us to connect through this means. This month I am looking at accents, and you may wonder what that is all about.  Accents are a part of linguistics, something  I’m keenly interested in. I once taught a course in linguistics; I find the topic fascinating. Some people like to identify types of trees, others stars, and still others rocks. I like to identify accents. I listen for them and tune in when I hear a different one. Not long ago,  I heard the conductor of an outstanding university choir  make his opening remarks to the audience at a concert, and right away I said…

  • Thinking Out Loud

      Hello and welcome back! Writing this blog post feels like starting over, a new beginning,  introducing myself  once more after a month’s hiatus.  Well, here I am, renewed and ready to continue the conversation.The posts will appear the first of each month. From the title above, you’ll see that, like the vocabulary posts, essentially they will be my viewpoints on diverse topics, a potpourri of  random thoughts, some of which  I hope will resonate with you. Concerning my request for a review after you read Dark Days on the Fairest Isle, I have heard enthusiastic responses from several of you who were willing to write a review but had…

  • Epiphany

    EPIPHANY: (noun) an illuminating realization or discovery often resulting in a personal feeling of elation, awe, or wonder  .  a manifestation or appearance of a divine or superhuman being From the popularity of the word epiphany, it appears that  a lot of people are having epiphanies nowadays, but given the meaning of the word, it shouldn’t be used in a glib manner.  What seems to be happening  is what usually occurs with many words that carry a certain aura. One individual who seems to know what he or she is talking about uses a word; it sounds impressive, and, with instant television or the internet to popularize it, the word…

  • Phobia

    PHOBIA:  (noun) fear  .  dread  .  revulsion  .  obsessive fear  .  horror  .  terror  .  loathing These are dark days in the land. El Paso and Dayton have cast a shadow over the nation, leaving  many people feeling fearful. While I don’t wish to minimize the current situation, I think it’s safe to say that all of us have fears of one kind or another. We’re afraid of something or someone. For instance, I’m afraid of heights, a condition known as acrophobia.  I avoid balconies, and whenever I am on one, I don’t look down.  Some people are afraid of water. This is called hydrophobia.  I don’t know whether they…

  • Flexibility

    FLEXIBLE: (adjective) pliable  .  limber  .  adaptable .  versatile .  tolerant  .  amenable Yesterday I saw the yellow buses plying the roads again, a clear signal of the start of school. Time was when we had to wait  until after Labor Day for school bells to ring following the summer hiatus. Not so nowadays. In the school world, schedules and calendars have been significantly adjusted; the word flexibility has had broad application. There was a time when a college semester lasted 18 weeks, and some misguided college administrators arranged for the completion of the second semester after the Christmas break. Does anyone now living remember that?  The final exams were…

  • Equilibrium

    EQUILIBRIUM: (noun) balance . symmetry . equality . evenness There’s a lot of excitement associated with the launch of a new book, and I have been enjoying every minute of the launch of Dark Days on the Fairest Isle.  Launch day was January 31 when the book was made available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble. I was elated when I received a colorful “Happy Publication Day!” email from the Marketing Department at my publisher. And friends have been very supportive with their telephone calls and congratulations. I know that all of you, my blog readers, will be getting the book. I believe in you.  And when you finish…