Childhood MemoriesWhen I was eight or nine or ten years old, I was at a friend's house during the summer and we were toasting marshmallows on tree branches over a barbeque. My marshmallow caught fire, and my friend's older brother, who was a year older than me, tried to take the branch away from me and I wouldn't let go. The branch broke and a ( Read more... )

WheatenaWhen growing up, it was a special treat on those weekend mornings that my mother made wheatena for breakfast instead of having cold cereal. I used to love the stuff. But sometime in my college years, my palate changed and I couldn't bear to eat wheatena any more. Now when I visited my parents, they would eat wheatena and I would opt for ( Read more... )

So I'm Happy, What's Wrong With That?I once heard an interview with Lord Snowden. He's the photographer who was once married to the Queen of England's sister, Princess Margaret, and has become the royal family's personal photographer. The interviewer asked Snowden why none of his subjects were photographed smiling. He replied that smiling is an ( Read more... )

It's Been A WhileSo it's been a while since I had any opinions that I considered worthy of posting. It must be the cobwebs in my mind. There is a war of sorts going on, but I really have no comments on it. There is the Harry Potter movie phenomenon, but that was pretty much what one would expect. Baseball season is over, although I am upset ( Read more... )

One's Civic DutyI was raised to belief that voting is one of the most important privileges and duties of one's citizenship in a republic. My mother inculcated this into me from a very young age. Thus, registering to vote and voting in my first election was a significant event for me. Since then, I have researched the candidates, learned the ( Read more... )

A Day Of InfamyOur nation has suffered a devastating loss and now cries out for revenge and people talk of impending war. However, any retaliation must be appropriate and we cannot forget the lessons we learned in the Vietnam War. The war we are about to wage should be one of covert intelligence and guerilla warfare - of learning about and ( Read more... )

Unemployed Once AgainI'm leaving my job. I'm filled with a feeling of vast relief. Relief that now I don't have to get permission before taking a day off. Relief that I no longer have only a limited number of vacation days. Relief that I don't have to be concerned that I woke up too late this morning, that the train was delayed, and will they ( Read more... )

Uuuuggggghhhhh!!!!!

What a horrible day! What an upsetting, awful, unending day! It began when I finally gave up trying to sleep at 3:30 in the morning. I caught the end of a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode and then a complete episode after that. At 5 am, I returned to bed to toss and turn the remaining hours away. Miserable ( Read more... )

The Obligatory Company Picnic ( Read more... )

Katherine Graham

I have a confession to make. I have been fascinated by the Phil and Kay Graham story for years, ever since I read David Halberstam's book The Powers That Be. Katherine Meyer was an insecure girl lacking in self-confidence and growing up in the shadow of two very dominant parents. She had no idea that her father was Jewish - it ( Read more... )