So I can spell some words and sometimes string them together in a sentence. So what.
The Easy Way A recent encounter with an intrusive diagnostic tool “filled” me with gratitude for the access we have to such thorough screening and prevention techniques. The process also brought to mind the great number of human afflictions that defy measurement or diagnoses through direct observation—issues such as pain, depression, substance abuse, mental instability, …
People of a certain age get to engage… … in certain activities simply by virtue of the number of years they have survived. At 14, I got a “learner’s permit” to drive under the supervision of an adult. Six months later, I could motor around by myself from dawn to dusk, though the motors never …
Q: When does 49 equal 50? A: When a guy visits Alaska (49th State admitted to the Union) to complete the mostly circumstantial feat of spending at least one night in each of our 50 United States. My one night in Anchorage began with a 70-mile drive, always the riskiest part of any flight. I …
For a guy so enamored with inventions of the mind, one would think that Dream World would provide the ultimate escape from reality, a factory of imagination. My sleeping dreams, however, only magnify the frustrations and obstacles of my conscious existence. Trapped within my nighttime visions, I struggle to report for work on time, impeded …
As a youth, under the direction of Dad and the command of many Catholic school taskmasters, I got pretty good at looking up the answers to my own many questions, as well as the queries of others. I loved the encyclopedia, even though I often had to refer to a supplementary volume—the dictionary—to interpret the …
A couple years ago, our family had the involuntary honor and unfortunate duty of composing an obituary for Dad, who had lived nearly 84 years. Most of us know that obituaries comprise the ultimate writing assignment: due immediately if not sooner alongside too many other last-minute tasks and decisions, all occurring during a time of …