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There’s a Seinfeld for that
Philosophy, my field of study as an undergraduate, has fallen on hard times of late, and I don’t understand why, given that it is the foundation of every academic discipline; it is the ‘Ph’ in PhD (which stands for “doctor of philosophy”). So your professor with a doctorate in Chemistry actually is a “doctor of…
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On Enduring Pain
I had a rough day yesterday. It was one of those days where all I could do was get from my bed to my recliner, and then just sit. Even feeding Gordon his doggie breakfast was a chore; it took about an hour of sitting still and staring off into space to recover from that.…
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Sometimes I lie
Last week, I was having a conversation with the esteemed director of my residence here at Stonewall Gardens Assisted Living in my apartment, me seated, her standing in my open doorway. Under normal circumstances, I think the world of Brittany – she is intelligent, experienced, professional yes, but perhaps more importantly she is kind, compassionate,…
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The fearsome Wolf of Gubbio
I have a complicated relationship with the holy man of Assisi, St. Francis. I no longer profess to be a Catholic, but I was a member of the Catholic religious order Francis founded in the 13th century, the Franciscans, for five years, from the time I was 19 until I was 24. Before that, I…
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Who knew?
A little over a year ago, I was referred to a nephrologist. If you don’t know what that is, you’re not alone – neither did I; when I first got the referral, I assumed a nephrologist was a historian that specialized in ancient Egypt, specifically on Nefertiti, queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt…
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Leave the trumpet-blowing to the musicians
I am actually a very shy person. If you find that easy to believe, good; I’ve done what I’m supposed to do. I may be outwardly shy and non-confrontational but sometimes, inside, I well up with megalomaniacal self-belief. In my head I act out little vignettes where I not only get my point across but…
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An unexpected surprise
Thinking about that title, aren’t all surprises “unexpected?” Hmm, well let’s not get bogged down in semantics. As an adult, I know that if I’m to pass along a food or beverage recommendation, it should be about a restaurant with a delicious grown-up entree (like the Corn Chowder Fettuccine at Grand Central at La Plaza…
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From berries to bubbles
Let’s have some fun, shall we? Let’s forget, if only for a moment, that we have a president who is actively angling to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while simultaneously overthrowing the leader of one country, threatening military intervention against the hostile and notoriously anti-American regime of another, openly (and quite seriously) floating the…
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I outwitted AI using Phil Collins!
Okay, let’s just get this out of the way right at the start. I am a Phil Collins fan. And I’m not going to justify it by claiming it’s because he’s such a talented drummer and invented the technique of gated reverb which revolutionized how drums are recorded and defined the sound of rock and…
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If it’s not one thing, it’s another
Last summer, when I was diagnosed with lung cancer, I promised to keep you, thoughtful reader, updated on my journey. In that regard, it’s all good. The tumor on the upper part of my right lung was 10 mm in size when first detected, grew to 14 mm before treatment began, and has now shrunk…
Your mileage may vary.