As the end of 2020 approached, Becca and I discussed whether to send an annual holiday card. For reasons writ large, we decided to pass. In the interim, we received many cards and updates from friends, some of whom took the unique opportunity to poke fun at the circumstances of the most recent year. Dox, …
As a resident of Pennsylvania, I was curious about the distribution of votes for US President across geography (e.g. rural-PA compared with urban-PA) as well as vote modality (e.g. in-person compared with by-mail.) I understood that it would take at least a few days after the election to count votes cast by mail, and it …
November 3, 2020. This day has been a focal point for me; The day has evoked curiosity, anxiety, and nervousness. And, it is upon us. I am looking forward to November 4, 2020. There are so many paths the next day may take, and so many choices people and organizations may make. I have found …
The Myth of the Golden Age. I never heard about this idea before a few weeks ago. Then, within a few days, it arose in repeated and unrelated contexts; a podcast interview with a leading business psychologist, a conversation with Becca about education, and a Woody Allen movie titled Midnight In Paris. The idea, as …
July 4, 2020. What a strange year thus far. I checked my Facebook and Twitter feeds yesterday morning. There were numerous references to Frederick Douglass’ speech, “What to the slave is the 4th of July.” I don’t remember thinking about the issues raised within this speech as a younger man. How is that possible? My …
I remember times in grammar school when we discussed time capsules. I remember thinking the idea of putting aside contemporary “artifacts” was clever, but I never became excited about them. I wish I could remember the years we engaged in the exercise of choosing the items; Maybe I was in the fifth grade (1989). I …
I have been wondering over the past months about the extent to which this time in history might plant seeds of interest for our children, and how those seeds might sprout. Will the ongoing discussions about the nature of the coronavirus and possible mutations lead children to become more curious about biology? Will public health …
May 23, 2020 was my 42nd birthday. As far as birthdays go, it was rather nice. The weather was pleasant in State College, and I enjoyed a nice Peloton ride after helping Becca with some gardening. In the morning, I read Michael Lewis’ Coach. Later in the early evening, I watched an NYU Faculty Insights …
It has been a pleasant Mothers’ Day, Covid-19 notwithstanding. Saturday’s weather arrived as a rude and unwelcome winter guest, unconcerned with whether we were prepared for his visit. Sunday greeted us with his prompt departure. Spring has returned. We celebrated as a family with games of fetch and soccer at the field near our home. …
While experiencing happiness, we have difficulty in being conscious of it. Only when the happiness is past and we look back on it do we suddenly realize – sometimes with astonishment – how happy we had been. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis Our family traveled to Crete last year for a vacation. We visited …