My Conflicted Love-affair with Alcohol

Good morning from the Acre, I am back in Pennsylvania more about a month before my initial plan, but I believe it was a decision that needed to be made. As a person who plans more than some might believe, I can be flexible, but lack of control of my life or my schedule isContinue reading “My Conflicted Love-affair with Alcohol”

What to Do: the Sharp Side of the Doubled-Edged Sword

Hello on my first full weekend in Krakow, Yesterday (Friday, the 28th) was the first day that I have not had to some home and jump in a shower from the heat since I arrived in Europe. Last week I was in Moscow on the hottest day they had on record in June since 1956.Continue reading “What to Do: the Sharp Side of the Doubled-Edged Sword”

Gratefulness 40 Years in the Making

Cześć w chłodniejszy poranek z Krakowa, What I have said is “hello on a cooler morning” from the sort of intellectual capital of Poland, the former capitol city, Kraków. It is actually by 7th time to this city of a little over a million people. With sites like Wawel Castle, the picture at the topContinue reading “Gratefulness 40 Years in the Making”

“Thy Spirit Lift Another Throng . . .”

Hello on an early morning from my office, The past week I have been in my office to work by 6:30 most mornings, but it still feels like there is more to do than the time to do it. That is a normal part of a semester as we zoom toward a finish and itContinue reading ““Thy Spirit Lift Another Throng . . .””

Becoming Norman . . . Pleased or Chagrined?

Hello on the weekend, It has been an emotional couple weeks, and if you have been reading the blog, you have some sense of why that is, but I think there is more. There are times, and their frequency seems to be increasing at an alarming rate, that I feel like I am simply notContinue reading “Becoming Norman . . . Pleased or Chagrined?”

Remembering Two Brilliant Siblings and Fifty Years

Good morning from the Acre, It has been a productive and eventful week, though not always in the way I had planned or expected. We have finished the third week of classes and things are not (nor expected to) slow(ing) down. Students are beginning to settle down and focus a bit better than their initialContinue reading “Remembering Two Brilliant Siblings and Fifty Years”

When Times Were Simpler . . .

Hello on a bitterly cold night, As I lie here in my warm bed and my house is heated to a comfortable temperature, it is impossible for me to get the news headlines and stories out of my consciousness of people throughout the country who stand a real chance of freezing to death because theyContinue reading “When Times Were Simpler . . .”

More than a Dirt Nap

Hello from my office on a Friday afternoon, Between meetings and a couple of other things (including grading), I am considering some things in light of my Bible as Literature course and wanted to write. This past week, my Bible as Literature student have asked interesting and thoughtful questions about life (and beyond), and whileContinue reading “More than a Dirt Nap”

Walking in the Other’s Shoes

Good early evening from my office, It is always interesting to see how people respond to the plight of their fellow humans. How is it we can be both the most caring, empathetic of all creation, and simultaneously the most cruel and ruthless? How is it we can teach our children how to respect, actContinue reading “Walking in the Other’s Shoes”

Three Score and Three

Good early morning from the acre, It is about 4:40 a.m. and I went to bed last night after a wonderful dinner  out and then coming home to commenting and grading. I woke up a short time ago and after lying in bed rather wide awake, I decided to get up and work on aContinue reading “Three Score and Three”