double vision

Posted: July 29, 2025 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary, Traskland
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I recently purchased my first pair of prescription sunglasses. For years I avoided getting non-OTC sunglasses out of some hardened notion they were neither cost-effective nor necessary. Since forever my various pairs of Ray-Bans have been stalwart companions, filtering sunlight while I silently cosplayed as a rogue fighter pilot bolstered by a testosterone-fueled nickname.

I only use corrective lens for distance, primarily for non-handheld screens or driving. Well, I don’t wear sunglasses whilst in a darkened room watching a film or, more likely, videos of cats gone wild. My cars have always had a roof which masterfully blocks most light. I occasionally drive directly into the sun’s unforgiving glare, but when that happens the Ray-Bans are fine. I just pop them directly over my eyeglasses until cloud cover or sunset or an unexpected thumpity-thump takes care of it. I may look like a mad scientist with shades upon specs, but it works. It has the added benefit of Read the rest of this entry »

character assassination

Posted: March 25, 2025 in Observations and Commentary
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In 1992 the Josephson Institute of Ethics published the Six Pillars of Character, a set of universally accepted core ethical values which cut across cultural, religious, and socioeconomic statuses. They were developed as a roadmap for young people to help them navigate the challenges and contradictions of human life. Getting these ideals in front of kids and teens was a noble attempt to advance common foundational standards. Today large banners highlighting the pillars are a common sight in middle and high school hallways and auditoriums across America. Perhaps you’ve seen them.

• Trustworthiness: Honesty, integrity, reliability, loyalty, and keeping promises.
• Respect: Treating others with dignity, valuing differences, and showing consideration.
• Responsibility: Being accountable for actions, fulfilling commitments, and demonstrating self-control.
• Fairness: Playing by the rules, being open-minded, and treating everyone equally.
• Caring: Showing empathy, compassion, and concern for others.
• Citizenship: Engaging in community, respecting laws, and contributing to society.

Most of us can agree this is a fine basis for a personal ethos. The concepts are solid. They possess a visceral moral authority, a backbone for civilized human life. They encapsulate a worldview we hope Read the rest of this entry »

common threads #17: risk-taking

Posted: March 18, 2025 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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Risk? What risk?

We are all risk-takers simply by being alive. Every decision we make, every action we take, is fraught with risk and consequence. You assume getting out of bed is risk-free? That’s your first mistake, bucko. Your second is stepping on the cat when your feet expected the floor. Your third is reflexively jerking your leg up and ramming your knee into the night table. Your fourth is screaming an expletive-filled expletive which prompts the cat to screech and attack. Here it is, 6:00 a.m. and you have been awake all of 15 seconds. Already you have a throbbing knee, an angry cat, and deep vertical scratches on your thigh. Don’t be fooled, my friend. Risk is omnipresent.

Risk implies a potential for threat. Risk mitigation can help, but this requires thoughtful planning to help manage, limit, or eliminate conceivable setbacks as much as possible. It demands awareness. Forethought and a reasonable understanding Read the rest of this entry »

shorts: 17

Posted: March 14, 2025 in Arts
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Back with some quick film reviews. There are plenty more where that came from!

Fly Me to the Moon (2024) – Exciting and full of promise during blastoff, but disappointing and anti-climactic by mission’s end. (2) – 03/14/25

Green Mile, The (1999) – One of the best movie adaptations of a Stephen King work remains electrifying. (4) – 03/14/25

Ordinary People (1980) – Depressing and suffocating, not to deny it credit for effectiveness. (2½) – 03/14/25

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – Newman and Redford are the only reasons to seek out this surprisingly lackluster adventure. (2½) – 03/14/25

Read the rest of this entry »

postcard days

Posted: November 14, 2021 in Photography, Travel
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Hawaiʻi is a perennial postcard – gold-hued, full of life and light, and stretching into infinity. Hauʻoli i ka manawa.

shaka, brah

Posted: November 7, 2021 in Travel
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The plane touched down in Kalului around 3:00 pm. Minutes later we departed the aircraft and strolled through the open-air terminal to claim our bags. As a mainlander I immediately sensed something, although I couldn’t articulate what it was. Perhaps the cumulative effects of an 11-hour flight messed with me. Maybe the warm breeze rustling through the palms created a psychological illusion. It may have been the lack of scowling, brash crowds which tugged at me, people jostling to get a prime spot at the baggage carousel in a hurry to move onto the next angst-filled activity. Whatever it was, one thing was certain: something was in the air, invisible yet tangible, passive yet active. It whispered, “Aloha, malihini. Welcome to Hawaiʻi.”

During our time on the islands it was impossible not to be seduced by the unhurried pace, the remarkable natural beauty, and the genuine smiles and calm demeanor of the locals. I realize tourism is the lifeblood of the state and it would be foolish to treat visitors poorly, yet this was different. It wasn’t just the pleasant daily interactions which struck me, Read the rest of this entry »

common threads #16: thumb sucking

Posted: October 9, 2021 in Humorous Bits, Observations and Commentary
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We think of thumb sucking as a baby’s behavior, one which may slide into toddler years. From birth a child will reflexively suck on any object put into its tiny, gummy mouth. Most agree this is a natural reflex evolved over many millennia (or 6,000 years if you are a strict creationist) to facilitate breast-feeding. You see it was difficult for a toothless child to eat fresh kill, be it rabbit or Stegosaurus. Sustenance had to come from somewhere lest the species wither away, so nature provided mother’s milk. What a beautiful thing, nature and nurture working together before the versus jumped in and ruined everything.

The sucking reflex associated with survival disappears early, generally after four months. Yet the pleasurable sensations associated with it don’t just evaporate like a barista when you absolutely cannot get through the next 30 seconds without a triple mocha Frappuccino. The cravings it satisfies – comfort, security, contentment – remain powerful. Substitutes are needed to fill the gap, both in your mouth and psyche. People who study these things call post-infant thumb sucking a non-nutritive sucking habit. The fastest and most readily available understudy is your thumb. It is literally Read the rest of this entry »

so far away

Posted: September 25, 2021 in Humorous Bits, Traskland
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I walked around the local market and bumped into an old neighbor. He and his wife moved about two years ago, staying in town but upgrading to a single-family house to accommodate their ever-expanding brood. Despite his snug mask, I immediately recognized him.

“Hey! How are you?” I asked with genuine sincerity. He was a good neighbor, familiar without being intrusive, interested without being nosy, caring without being phony.

“Hi, John! It’s so nice to see you,” he replied, eyes smiling.

I tend to handle these types of chance encounters pretty well. I can effortlessly make a few minutes of small talk. It is a minor skill which hopefully helps Read the rest of this entry »

guest blogger: lillian la france

Posted: September 18, 2021 in Uncategorized
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They called me the “Girl Who Flirts with Death.” I never saw it that way. All I wanted was somethin’ different. Grown’ up in Kansas as I did, different were hard to come by. Farms, winds, wheat, and prairies were my life. By the time I left my teenage years I were as restless as a bull sniffin’ around a cow in heat. I weren’t about to get married and have a litter of lil’ ones like every other farmgirl in the county. That was a quick road to hell, if you pardon my language. I saw what that done to Mama, bless her heart. By the time she turned 40 she was wore out from scrapin’ by on the farm and tendin’ to 9 kids. Ain’t no shame in that, but it weren’t for me. When I were 22 I left home and joined the first travelin’ carnival that would hire me.

They didn’t know what to do with me, so they gave me low jobs like muckin’ out the pens. It really weren’t no different from what I done back home, except now I got some money. Weren’t much, but it were mine. Best of all Read the rest of this entry »

philadelphia freedom

Posted: September 14, 2021 in Traskland, Travel
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Early Saturday afternoon I was suddenly consumed with a burst of restlessness, an urgent need to get out of the house and do something that did not involve staying in the house. It was a gorgeous day – high clouds, crystal blue skies, mild temperatures with low humidity. There were plenty of local options to burn off the jumpiness. We could shoot down the road into Princeton and wander among the ivy, day trippers, and shops. A short drive in any direction would take us to hiking trails and parks. We could stroll around our familiar streets and blithely comment on minor changes to our neighbor’s outdoor décor. We could do any of these things, things we’ve done 1,000 times before. But on this particular Saturday I wanted more than the usual distractions. I quickly concocted an impromptu plan.

I slipped downstairs. With the subtlety of a diplomat I asked Caryn if there was anything she hoped to get done before the end of the day. She mentioned a few things, but they all had a self-imposed deadline of Sunday night. Seeing an opening, I shot my plan at her. (Figuratively.) “Let’s go spend the night in Philly!” Within minutes we were headed south to the city where Ben Franklin fathered an illegitimate son, where Angelo Bruno was rubbed out Mafia-style in front of his home, and where Read the rest of this entry »

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