Dearest Rachel – As happens all too often these days, I find myself waking up to a dark room, staring at the ceiling. This would be understandable during the winter, but this far into July, I should be comfortably sleeping in, especially after putting in twenty-five thousand steps yesterday, between working out at the gymContinue reading “Obsession? Compulsion?”
Monthly Archives: July 2024
Blanket Approval
Dearest Rachel – It was like walking in on a rehearsal in a Broadway theater. It seemed like you were playing the lead role; something that quite literally was out of character for you, but somehow looked like you were perfectly comfortable with. It wasn’t long, however, before you noticed me in the empty audience,Continue reading “Blanket Approval”
Superior But Equal
Dearest Rachel – A lot of men, including myself, will jocularly refer to their wives as their “better half,” with a fair amount of unspoken truth embedded in that title. While I don’t think I’m qualified to speak for all men, I can’t be the only one who sometimes suffers from “imposter syndrome” when itContinue reading “Superior But Equal”
from Rachel: A Heritage from the Lord
Please read the [entirety of Psalm 127]… then list everything it says involving family. “Sons are a heritage; children are a reward; sons of youth are like arrows; a man with many is happy; children bring honor.” How did Christ blow the doors off our concept of family (Matthew 12:46-50) “He taught that fellow believersContinue reading “from Rachel: A Heritage from the Lord”
What Commuters Miss…?
Dearest Rachel – Throughout my travels, both this year and previous, I’ve often seen this or that building or other place as the vehicle – be it a train, tram, coach or automobile – passes by along the way, and wondered what goes on there, being fully aware that I’ll never know the answer toContinue reading “What Commuters Miss…?”
The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet
Dearest Rachel – So this is it; a day that I’ve promised myself would come, in which I’m doing the whole ‘tourist in my home town’ bit. Oddly enough, I’m doing something that we’ve done before – which, considering how little time we ever spent in the city (apart from admiring the annual Christmas decorationsContinue reading “The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet”
The Joys of Being a Quitter
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning to the quiet darkness I’ve known all along that I appreciate for a good night’s sleep, after having had to deal with yet another tiny nightmare of Mohinder berating me for being a quitter. Given my surroundings, I was looking forward to rolling over and putting onContinue reading “The Joys of Being a Quitter”
The Second Season
Dearest Rachel – To the best of my knowledge, you didn’t have to deal with it much back in your hometown, but once you moved to live up with me in the Chicago suburbs, you learned fairly quickly about how the area basically has two seasons; winter, and construction. No matter where you wanted toContinue reading “The Second Season”
Finding Myself Well
Dearest Rachel – Hope this letter finds you well. I also hope that you don’t mind that it’s coming to you a bit later than I usually try to get them sent to you, but the events of the morning have kept me busier than usual; plus, they strike me as being more worth tellingContinue reading “Finding Myself Well”
Music To Fall Asleep To
Dearest Rachel – Last night found me nodding off watching YouTube. I’m sure you hardly find that to be stop-press news, as I used to do that quite a bit when the three of us would be watching this or that in the family room, especially after a draining day at work. This was doublyContinue reading “Music To Fall Asleep To”
Do I Try to Keep Up?
Dearest Rachel – I’ve told you numerous times in the past three and a half years that I’d prefer not to talk about current events with you. Aside from the obvious fact that nothing that’s happening on this tiny little mud clod in of much concern to you at this point (apart, hopefully, from Daniel,Continue reading “Do I Try to Keep Up?”
from Rachel: Vain Labor
“[Verse 5 is] very different [between the NCV and HCSB translations]: warfare vs. vocal confrontation” Glance at the headings under both translations. To whom is this psalm attributed? “Solomon” In Hebrew, the words are actually the name of God gave Solomon according to 2 Samuel 12:25: Jedediah, meaning ‘Beloved of Jehovah.’ The tone of theContinue reading “from Rachel: Vain Labor”
Twilight Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – In the twelve hundred plus days since your departure, I’d like to think that I’ve come to terms with my situation. You’re gone, and you aren’t coming back. Nor should I wish to drag you away from the paradise you’ve attained. Likewise, there’s no sign that Megumi is on the horizon, orContinue reading “Twilight Thoughts”
Rear Echelon, Monday to Friday
Dearest Rachel – Given that I do most of my writing to you fairly early in the morning, when the house is quiet and there’s not much else for me to do (other than go to work out – which provides a lot of the fodder for letters, as I suspect my reluctance to doContinue reading “Rear Echelon, Monday to Friday”
A Moment of Respect
Dearest Rachel – “Our people are our greatest asset.” I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen or heard it stated in those specific words, but in one variation or another, it’s a motto across the business world. And why wouldn’t it be, especially in a customer-facing business? Any interaction between staff and customer canContinue reading “A Moment of Respect”
We’re On the Pavement, Thinkin’ ’Bout the Gov’ment
Dearest Rachel – Our individual news feeds aside, honey, Daniel and I aren’t like the Bob Dylan of old; we aren’t “thinkin’ ’bout the gov’ment” twenty-four seven. At least I hope not; I can’t speak for Daniel, and I don’t know what he does or listens to while I’m across town, ‘working’ at my ‘office.’Continue reading “We’re On the Pavement, Thinkin’ ’Bout the Gov’ment”
Lullaby of the Sirens
Dearest Rachel – Last night found me home from the first night of VBS, watching videos in the bedroom, when I realized that there was a sound that didn’t quite mesh with the video I was watching. Sure, it was a compilation of creepy stories, and the sound was similarly unsettling, but it didn’t “go”Continue reading “Lullaby of the Sirens”
Give the Superego What it Wants…
Dearest Rachel – There are some mornings, honey, where I come to the conclusion that I don’t necessarily like who and what I’ve become. This morning found me lying in bed at a little after four, with that little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that “well, as long as you’reContinue reading “Give the Superego What it Wants…”
from Rachel: Sowing the Seed
Please turn back to day 3 and read either translation of the psalm, giving special attention to verses 4-6. Today, we center on the statements in the last two verses. Does Psalm 126:5-6 sound more like a… “hope (in the definite, Biblical sense – not the wishful, worldly sense); promise” Complete the following according toContinue reading “from Rachel: Sowing the Seed”
Lowering the Ceiling
Dearest Rachel – …And this is why I think I can still take a little pride in just maintaining my weight while traveling the world on that cruise ship, despite never quite being able to escape from that same ten-pound range I would occasionally feel trapped in. The fact that I didn’t gain a considerableContinue reading “Lowering the Ceiling”
Not Burned
Dearest Rachel – In her one woman show The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, one of the many characters that Lily Tomlin plays is a teenage punk (which is a reference to the subculture she’s a part of; it’s not a descriptor as such, but I won’t deny that the girlContinue reading “Not Burned”
Why Not the Truth?
Dearest Rachel – It’s another day of music that was never ours, and of which some you’ve never heard. Like I said, I’m trying to listen to different stuff, so that it doesn’t bring back painful memories. On the other hand, some of it is painful enough as it is, by sheer dint of content.Continue reading “Why Not the Truth?”
Just As Well, I Guess
Dearest Rachel – While I did manage to get to the gym yesterday morning, I got a late start on the day, and still wasn’t feeling my best, so I didn’t put in the same level (or time) of workout that I’ve been doing pretty regularly over the past few weeks. I’ve also gone backContinue reading “Just As Well, I Guess”
Giving Up Too Easily?
Dearest Rachel – While it was good to see you last night in my dream, I found it rather confusing. For whatever reason, you seemed to be upset with me. Something about ‘giving up’ on you too easily, as you prepared to leave – which I don’t mind telling you, seemed very out of characterContinue reading “Giving Up Too Easily?”
The Extent of the Effect
Dearest Rachel – “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So goes Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, the product of the Enlightenment concept of experimentation and observation, as opposed to blind acceptance of received wisdom from generations past. Best envisioned (and demonstrated) on a billiard table or a croquet lawn, thisContinue reading “The Extent of the Effect”
from Rachel: To Laugh Again
Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves “‘We shall come rejoicing / bringing in the sheaves’” Psalm 126 falls conveniently into perfect halves. The Message makes the transition clearest. Write the verse that you think introduces the second half. “‘AndContinue reading “from Rachel: To Laugh Again”
The Center of the Universe
Dearest Rachel – As much as I try to stay out of the boys’ business when they’re watching stuff, they do tend to be a little bit noisy from time to time. Both the shows they watch and the discussions they have are almost impossible to drown out, even from our bedroom on the oppositeContinue reading “The Center of the Universe”
Sleeping Through the War
Dearest Rachel – To be fair, for me to describe last night thusly is to completely mischaracterize it. After all, while the fireworks displays that are part and parcel of the Fourth of July are meant to represent the clamor and fire of early modern warfare in which this nation was birthed (perhaps not unlikeContinue reading “Sleeping Through the War”
The Cruelty of the Spotlight
Dearest Rachel – As much as I am loathe to, even as it feels like it’s unavoidable, I guess it’s appropriate, on this day of all days, for me to talk about politics. It is, after baseball, the national pastime, especially every four years – which is where we are now. We aren’t as physicallyContinue reading “The Cruelty of the Spotlight”
Holiday Week
Dearest Rachel – One of the strange effects of being retired and out of the work farce is that I don’t exactly have my finger on the pulse of current trends. If people are doing things en masse, I’m not always aware of it – or if I am, it’s a very dim awareness, basedContinue reading “Holiday Week”
A Herd of Boxen
Dearest Rachel – Being the grammar maven that you were, you might look at that title and get a little puzzled. What the heck are ‘boxen’?, you might ask. Then again, you were the one who introduced me to Richard Lederer, and his books on grammar and the English language. You might remember his parodicalContinue reading “A Herd of Boxen”
All Of The Power
Dearest Rachel – It was a scene right out of the last temptation offered to Jesus Christ; I dreamt that the fellow you might guess to be behind the throne and actually running the country right now (because – especially after last Thursday – no one believes that the guy ostensibly in charge really is,Continue reading “All Of The Power”
Letters to Rachel 