learning

The Casual-Serious State Of The Nation

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We just had a national election and depending upon one’s political leanings, the feelings of everyone out there from big cities to wide open spaces range from glad to mad and maybe even sad. 

As for me and right now, I’ve taken refuge in an easy chair from which I can look through a window and see a sky filled with both sun and dark clouds, trees sporting dashes of fall color, and two squirrels busily looking for still more food to stash away for winter meals. 

All of it seems to come together to ease my brain into neutral, … Read the rest “The Casual-Serious State Of The Nation”

A Peek Into Another Happening

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I was having coffee when I noticed the person in the next booth. 

What at first had appeared to be a featureless lump of humanity was actually a Black guy wearing a dark shirt and pants. Pulled up around his neck was the collar of an even darker jacket. 

In front of him in somewhat orderly fashion were several sheets of paper on which were columns of handwritten words and numbers. An already pushed-aside empty soft drink container indicated he had been there a while.

He was scrunched so far down in the seat and leaning so far forward that … Read the rest “A Peek Into Another Happening”

Playing Both Ends Toward The Middle

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Traffic is heavy and fast. Suddenly and seemingly from out of nowhere, a car races past you, then missing you by inches, cuts in front of you, changes lanes again, and is soon out of sight. Emotionally rattled, you utter several unkind, maybe even unprintable words. No harm was done, but the stupid and potentially dangerous acts committed by the other driver grind at you for the rest of the day.

Or consider this:

Barely two months have gone by since a person was hired to join your group at work and you are already feeling uneasy. The solidly credentialed … Read the rest “Playing Both Ends Toward The Middle”