An air crash, a nightclub fire, Mike Royko and me “Mom, what’s a curmudgeon?” asked 11-year-old me. I’m pretty sure I pronounced it “CARmudgeon” and…
An exclusive club
Reflections on the blessings of Mothers’ Day A little over 21 years ago, my soon-to-be brother-in-law told me I was about to become a member…
The upper hand
A transit driver proves who’s boss Three obnoxious teenage males were standing at the back of a nearly-empty bus one evening in a major U.S.…
White privilege isn’t what you think
A brief primer on what white privilege is — and isn’t When I first saw the term “white privilege” being used commonly in discussions on…
Standing watch
At 3:00 a.m., the only sounds in the church are the shifting winds outside, whispering insistently through the fir trees, now and then eliciting a…
The definition of an extraordinary woman
She was confirmed. You know deep down she deserved confirmation. Ketanji Brown Jackson is, after all, a woman of great professionalism, accomplishment and dignity. She…
The reek of retribution
When it seems like pretty much everyone is actively looking for something to stoke their rage, sometimes it’s satisfying to see a complainer get his…
The award for hypocrisy goes to…
Ah, awards season. It’s that special time of year when people who have fame, money and power celebrate the talent that earns them all that…
The toaster
In my twenties, I was part of a group of friends who were united by shared tastes and interests, you know, the usual things that…
Ukraine III: Superyachts, Cluster Bombs and an Ego
A highly simplified crash course on the situation in Ukraine, third analysis Vladimir Putin is a disciplined man. His tenure as president of the Russian…