What is the Value of Life, Pt. 6: Education
Does education only exist to make us employable or is it meant to make us better people? There’s no agreement on the answer.
Old Man Talking
What Is The Value of Life, Pt. 5: Family
Family! We all have them, but do they raise our value or do they hinder it? What is the best structure for realizing our value?
What Is The Value Of Life, Pt. 4: Work
What we do, our occupation, our work, is an important and unavoidable part of how our lives are valued. That value may be threatened.
What Is The Value of Life, Pt. 3: Morality
Morality plays a large role in how we value life. Good is better than bad. The challenge is, how do we define what is good? This isn’t easy.
What Is The Value Of Life, Pt. 2: Economics
Using economic calculations to place a value on life often falls short of our perception of self-worth. Can one put a dollar value on life?
What Is The Value Of Life, Pt. 1: What IS Life?
Every life presumably has value, but just how much value? Are some lives more valuable than others? Depends on one’s definitions.
Is There Too Much To Learn?
With so much information available and infinite amounts of knowledge to consume, is there a limit to how much one person can know?
Before You Light The First Firecracker
Independence Day, July 4, is the quintessential American holiday. Hold up. Before lighting any fireworks, let’s talk about true freedom
That’s Not What I Meant
The words we write and the words we say are not always taken in the manner that we intend and sometimes that causes some problems.
I Don’t Have To Be Your Friend
As we grow older, our selection of friends becomes smaller, sometimes prompting us to question why we were friends in the first place.
I Forgot What I Came Here For
I don’t always remember what I’m doing, why I’m in this room, or how things work. Memory is complicated. Losing it is frightening.
Pride, Rainbows, Floods, and Gods
An anti-Pride meme sends the wrong message and completely misses the facts about rainbows, floods, and Pride.
Running From the Hands of a Racist
Emotions are triggered when looking at my hands starts to remind me of a racist grandparent I never wanted to emulate.
Ending One Life To Search For Another
Ending the one thing for which we’ve always been knowing, putting more than 35 years of experience on the shelf, was not an easy decision.
Whose Rights Are These, Anyway?
One strong trait of Americans is the extent to which we value our rights, our liberties. But what happens when my rights conflict with yours?
Where Do We Go From Here?
We look at gains made: not biting our nails, COVID-19 Vaccines, economy surging, and it feels good. But what direction do we take next?
What The Atlanta Murders Teach About Sex Work
The racist murder of eight people at Atlanta-area massage parlors demands that we reconsider our views on professional sex work.
Don’t Go Climbing Mountains
Everyone has mountains they must cross. Unless there’s no mountain. Let’s consider that maybe our challenges aren’t as big as we think.
The Church Between Me And Music I Love
All I wanted to do was listen to a wonderful pipe organ. A church got in the way.
Summoning Reluctant Spirits of the Holidays
References to Charles Dickens abound as the spirits of past years are summoned in search of a hopeful spirit for the holidays.
Conversation With A Mad Man
I talk to myself because sometimes I need expert advice. This is one of those times.
2020 Is Almost Here And I'm Already Disappointed
All predictions were that we would be a great society by 2020. Those predictions were wrong. 2020 is already disappointing.
Are We Fit Enough To Stay Alive?
It’s my birthday, but how many of us will be here for the next one? We’re dying too quickly and that’s a problem!
Being Creative Is Scary And I Need A Drink
Being creative and maintaining that creativity raises a lot of questions and doubts and the fear that we’re all going mad.
We’re Not Getting Enough Sleep And It’s Killing Us
[Annoying copy reminding people I need to eat at least once a week. Either buy something or drop us some cash.] An editorial reminder that links in this article appear bold and italicized. We don’t color or underline them. Please, click the links. Our personal health depends on learning how …
Five Things No One Needs To Fear
There is a lot of fear in our lives and many are unnecessary. We look at five fears you no longer need.
Name Calling Aside, Saving The Planet Requires Being Radical
Rhetoric is irrelevant; climate change now threatens everything, eliminating the opportunity for a measured response. Note: I realize that since we’ve spent 20 weeks with the novel there haven’t been a large number of links in what we’ve written. Our links are not underlined or colored, they’re bold italic. When …
Good Guys, Bad Guys, And The Ethical Problem Of Nationalism
We have fallen victim to the good guy/bad guy mythology of Nationalism and it is a large part of what fuels our intolerance and racism.
Planetary Abortion: Saving The Lives That Matter
There has been a lot of incendiary talk about abortion this week but if we truly value life we have to realize it’s the planet we’re about to abort.
Replacing WWJD With WDJS
Asking What Would Jesus Do (WWJD) is the wrong question. Instead, one should ask What Did Jesus Say? (WDJS)
Remembering Rachel Held Evans
News of the death of Rachel Held Evans shook us hard. We look back at the original article that brought her to our attention.
Enduring The Crucible of Self-Creation
Creating our own identity is a challenge that tests our resolve and determination but we come out stronger in the end.
Petty Annoyances That Keep Me Grumpy
I often am accused of being a grumpy old man. Here are five reasons for why I’m less than pleasant.
Modern Language: Talking The Talk That Others Talk
Language is constantly changing. What it means to speak English is different now than it was last year. The older we get the more challenging it is to keep up.
The White Guy’s Guide To NOT Being A Jackass
So many white guys are running around being a jackass apparently they need some help knowing how to behave. We’ve written this for them.
Finding Success Without The Trophies
Awards season is here. While the Golden Globes are already passed, we still have to suffer through the Critic’s Choice Awards tonight (the 13th), the Screen Actors Guild Awards January 27, the Directors Guild Awards February 2, the GRAMMY Awards February 10, the British Academy Film Awards February 20, the …
You Are The Reason We Have 8 Cats
Cats make wonderful pets for people who have the personality to handle them. Typically, two cats are enough for most households. Any more than that and it can feel overwhelming. Four years ago, I agreed to get one kitten. One. So why do we now have eight cats? I am totally …
Look! The Old Man Has A New Book!
Are we excited around here or what? The Old Man has published a new book! Rethinking ‘Merica is an examination of the current state of the country with practical suggestions for what we can do to actually make it better. This isn’t ear-tickling political garbage, mind you. If anything the Old Man …