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Three years ago in Boston
Peace vigil, Boston Common, the day after the Marathon bombings (April 2013; photo: DY) Here in Boston, we are observing the third anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings. As recounted by the...
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Memo to self: Experiences, not possessions, bring greater happiness
Northern Colorado, storm chase tour (Photo: DY, 2012) Over the weekend I was fiddling around with some photos using the editing tools on my computer, when I reminded myself of an important lesson,...
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On typing and typewriters
No power needed, except that of your fingers and your mind. (Vintage typewriter courtesy of Adeline Moya) For many years I’ve quipped that Introduction to Typing and Driver’s Education were the two...
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Will I ever again be a Mad Scientist?
One of my favorite boyhood books was Bertrand R. Brinley’s The Mad Scientists’ Club (1965), a collection of short stories about a group of young science geeks in the fictional town of Mammoth Falls....
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Year two at Hogwarts
Last week I finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first in the series. A few days ago I started in on book two, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. As I wrote a few weeks ago, I’ve...
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Watching a show within a show: “The Day After” on “The Americans”
If you’re wondering whether we’re still in a Golden Age of television drama, then look no further than “The Americans” on FX. The show stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as deep-planted Soviet spies,...
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Origins of book geekdom
This Facebook meme from Buzzfeed caught my attention over the weekend, leading with the tagline “Your dream was to have a gigantic library in your home when you grew up.” Now, I have to admit that I...
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A door stopper of a look at Stephen King’s body of work
I stumbled upon George Beahm’s The Stephen King Companion (2015) at one of the local bookstores earlier this week. After checking out the table of contents and skimming a few chapters, I knew I was...
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The new boarding houses: Dorm life for graduates
Okay, college graduates, if you could continue dormitory-type living even after leaving school, would you opt to do so? If your answer is “yes,” then you may be pleased to see this option developing...
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Who you gonna call?
Dan Ackroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Bill Murray visit with Jimmy Kimmel It’s hard to believe that “Ghostbusters” is 32 years old as of this summer! And with the remake of the movie (and a new,...
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Those random moments when you discover great music
When it comes to discovering my favorite genre of music — old standards by the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Sinatra, and the like — I’m a bit of a late bloomer. Not until moving to New York for law school...
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Life’s little scratch ticket wins
The other day I was getting ready for a short trip, and I went online to print out my airline ticket. I was delighted to see the TSA Pre-check designation on it. Pre-check means that you can go...
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From college move-in days to reunions
Hello dear readers, it has been a while since I’ve posted! I’ve been hip deep in various publication projects related to work, and they’ve drained much of whatever writing energies I’ve had this...
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That final exam anxiety dream
Marlene Cimons writes for the Washington Post about a recurring anxiety dream experienced by many, including yours truly: For most people, including me, it goes like this: We’ve signed up for a course...
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Driving around in a self-induced nostalgia trip
Reasonable facsimile of my rental car (courtesy of http://clipartix.com/) My current visit to northwest Indiana marks the first time I’ve driven a car since, well, my last visit there over a year ago....
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From gadget to appendage
Sometime during the last year, my cell phone morphed from being a oft-annoying gadget to an occasionally annoying virtual appendage. I am not a likely candidate to have made this transition. I have...
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As the weather turns cold, the small screen becomes a strong draw
Here along America’s east coast, dropping temperatures are reminding us that winter is just around the corner. Boston has been downright chilly, and a quick trip to New York City for a conference had...
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Homecoming 2016
A September sun sets on VU’s Chapel of the Resurrection (photo: DY) Sometimes we can go home again, and if we’re lucky, the experience can be even sweeter than the first time around. In a year of ups...
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A quick trip to Brooklyn: A meet-up of past and present
Home to the First Unitarian Congregational Society, Brooklyn. During a quick visit to Brooklyn for a workshop related to my work, I didn’t expect that a nostalgia trip would be part of the deal. But it...
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A nostalgic afternoon in Manhattan
Yet another photo of the split pea soup at the Cozy…4 stars! (photo: DY) Over the years I’ve learned quite well that I am a creature of (1) nostalgia; (2) habit; and (3) cities. All of these came...
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