Archive for June 2015

My son has been alive for more than 1,000 days. For the last 800 days or so, I have been the one to pluck him from his crib in the morning almost every time without fail. Unless I am out of town or walking the dog at the moment he awakens, which happens rarely, it’s…

You’re standing outside a friend’s car. You want him to roll down his window so you can talk.  If you’re from my generation or one earlier, you make a rotating, cranking motion with your hand, simulating the way that windows were once rolled down before power windows. This, to me, is universal sign language for, “Roll your…

When I told my son that I couldn’t fix his toy, he pushed me aside, grabbed the stool, found his way into a drawer with a screwdriver, and went to work. He didn’t fix the toy, of course, but he managed to express his lack of confidence in me rather effectively.  And not unjustified, I…

I have absolutely no experience writing or producing a television show, but if the studio is ever interested, I’d be willing to remake Lost, a show that I liked a great deal, but without all the stupid parts. I’d even keep the same cast if they’d like.   Lost was one of those shows that…

Perhaps you’ve heard that Pope Francis has not watched television since July 15, 1990. TIME’s headline read: Pope Francis Has Missed Out on So Much Good Television Since 1990  And yes, I agree. He’s missed out on some excellent programming. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The Office. The Sopranos. Game of Thrones. Breaking Bad.  But here’s…

At Starbucks’ annual meeting in Seattle last week, a shareholder complained to the chief executive, Howard Schultz, that the company had lost customers because of its vocal and economic support for same sex marriage and the subsequent boycotts of Starbucks stores by bigots.  “Not every decision is an economic decision. Despite the fact that you recite statistics that are narrow…

My daughter came downstairs two mornings ago, insisting upon an immediate and in depth study of the minke whale.  I don’t know how these things happen, and I don’t know why they happen at 6:00 in the morning, but they do. Since our morning spent studying the minke whale when I was supposed to be…

I have a friend who is a real estate agent. The other day she was explaining to me that housing prices in our area are flat because there is so much inventory right now. “You mean houses,” I said. “Right? Inventory means houses for sale. You’re not also selling shacks and sheds and huts and…

This statue can be found in the playground in the center of the parking lot at The Shoppes of Farmington Valley in Farmington, CT. It’s supposed to be of a boy preparing to putt a golf ball. but with the absence of a club, the statue takes on an entirely different meaning. Don’t you think?

My wife and I dream of the day when we can purchase a slightly larger house. We’re missing two or three rooms in our current home, including a spare bedroom for when the in-laws or anyone else wants to stay over for the night. “Granny pods” already exist, but that moniker is misleading. They are essentially…