When I changed my address over ten years ago, the Post Office gave me the option of a daily email showing me the mail I’m going to be receiving later that day. I’ve changed my address several times since then, and each time I’ve continued with the email option. Most of the time I find … Continue reading A Letter from the IRS
Botany
The tomatoes from my three plants are ripening pretty quickly now, and I’m happy to say that they’re tasting pretty good. Not as good as the best I’ve ever had, but at least it’s been worth the trouble. A neighbor has some attractive plants that I used an online site to identify as Chinese … Continue reading Botany
Groucho and the Real Old Lady
There’s a quote that I remember from Walter Kerr’s Tragedy and Comedy, and I even used it in preparing a speech for a public speaking course I took at Penn State. This may account for the mysterious distinction Groucho Marx once made between an amateur and a professional. An amateur thinks it's funny, Groucho said, if … Continue reading Groucho and the Real Old Lady
Who’s a Commie Now?
Back in the day when I had to go to Sunday school, my favorite teacher was Hart Beaver. He was a lawyer and an Assistant District Attorney for Lebanon County (as I wrote about in my Murder in a Small Town series). He led some interesting discussions from time to time. Like when we were … Continue reading Who’s a Commie Now?
Tragedy and Comedy
Walter Kerr, in addition to being the husband of humorist Jean Kerr, was a theater critic for the New York Herald Tribune and later on for the New York Times. During his time as a critic, he gave absolute raves to fluffy musicals such as Hello, Dolly!, and he consistently panned everything that Stephen Sondheim … Continue reading Tragedy and Comedy
What Happened
I’ve thought a lot about it, and here’s my best explanation. During orientation week at Penn State I took some placement tests, and I ended up placing out of the introductory English composition course. I also took a Latin test, and I was surprised when I heard the results: I had placed into Latin IV. … Continue reading What Happened
Death of an Alleged Sexual Predator
There’s an obituary for Richard Glanton, who died of a heart attack at 79, in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and buried in the eleventh paragraph is this little nugget: He ended a workplace sexual harassment suit with a private settlement in the early 1990s What a way to bury one of the stories that had the … Continue reading Death of an Alleged Sexual Predator
The Autumn of My Discontent
Carl and I were both looking forward to the Genetics course in September of 1970. He was taking it because it was required for his Biology major; I was taking it as an elective because I thought it was an interesting topic. We each walked out of the first lecture totally discouraged. The prof was … Continue reading The Autumn of My Discontent
Animal Free Zone
A few blocks from me there is a fenced-in playground where people have been taking their dogs in the early morning to allow them to run free and play. Later in the day, children are active in a variety of sports activities. Recently I noticed a sign on the fence. I think that sign is … Continue reading Animal Free Zone
My War with the City
All right, it’s not really a war. It merely feels like one. It all started when I bought this house six years ago. My realtor warned me that I was paying too much, but I had my reasons. I was anxious to get out of Center City. I liked living in Center City, and it … Continue reading My War with the City