Remembering simpler times. Like many of my generation and those before me, I was lucky to be raised a free range kid. By the age of six, along with my brother Pablo who was four at the time, we roamed the river of our hometown during summertime—from dawn to dusk, in a huge wooden rowboat. […]
Some thoughts on the quality of life . . . Ask an educated person a complex question and be prepared for a thoughtful pause. Next, you will notice the eyes giving way to inner reflection, then perhaps you get a smile anticipating and welcoming the challenge. Later, much later, comes the precise reply. Ask the […]
So, I wrote an answer to Ramiro Valdez’ essay titled “What makes me look like I don’t speak English,” published in the Denton Record Chronicle on Sunday 8-19-18. It turns out that it’s not only gringos that judge a person by looks: it’s everybody, and by the looks of it, it’s not going to change […]
Never too late. One day I asked my daughter what she wanted to be when she grew up. “An ocean wonderer” she said, casually. “Which kind?” I asked, thinking I would confuse her. “Both” she answered, without hesitation, “wonder and wander.” Now it was my turn to be surprised and I never forgot it. […]
No place like home. A year ago, a friend called inviting me to go fishing. We’d be going to a small Central American country in the Caribbean and staying on an island. “I’m in,” I said, and was fortunate enough to live to regret those words. Two days later we met in Houston and took […]
https://www.dentonrc.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-to-the-editor-july/article_ecc15a07-4e03-5401-a8fa-6ad1e248714f.html
What team does Herman Melville play for? When a friend went to a local soup kitchen a few weeks ago to help, something she does about once a month, she started to get offended when they asked her if she could write. Then they explained that none of the dozen or so college students doing […]
On North Korea and surprises. I’ve been thinking about the summit with North Korea and wondering if president Trump is getting good advice. I have no reason to think he’s not, other than remembering a couple of instances when we Americans didn’t get good advice. The first instance that came to mind was reading about […]