I’m a sucker for symbolism, and my heart melts for motifs. And F. Scott Fitzgerald masterfully employs these literary devices to illustrate the frivolity of godlessly pursuing an ever-elusive American Dream in The Great Gatsby. The Green Light…the Valley of…
“I like it when somebody gets excited about something. It’s nice.” -JD Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye A little kid at the park sprinted over to his dad to show him a super cool-looking bug that he found. That’s…
2 soldiers. 2 hospital beds. 1 military hospital in Vietnam. Both men lay side by side. One soldier had been the victim of a detonated landmine, which resulted in a below-knee amputation. Other than a missing limb, he appeared well…
One of the things that we teach our kids is to “not yuck another person’s yum.” Rather than offer your unsolicited negative opinion of another person’s food, clothes, or backpack, simply keep your comments to yourself. Better yet, look for…
Many of you are aware that my “dance moves” are an eclectic cornucopia of agility drills, spastic gyrations, and assorted plyometrics. Occasionally people will mistakenly think my dancing is “good,” although some athleticism is required to “perform” in this manner…
Oftentimes people will meet me and ask the question, “What is your wife like?” I figure they’re rightfully intrigued that someone would willingly marry The Academic Platypus…and then gladly renew the subscription every year! And then those LUCKY PEOPLE who…
Today is Groundhog Day, a morning rooted deeply in tradition…a tradition of meteorological forecasting based on the capricious whims of a Pennsylvania rodent. Good stuff, America…you’re almost as likely to get accurate prognostication from the mainstream media…almost But arguably the…
The degrees on your wall, the awards that you’ve earned You can’t take them with you, they’re going to burn The medals and trophies on top of your mantle Have as much staying power as smoke from a candle The…
There is a ravine down the street from our house next to a community playground. And this versatile basin serves as a reservoir for stagnant water, a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and a hub for decomposing plums at various times…
“Children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, ‘Do it again’; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people…
