Dearest Rachel – It was a running joke where we went to college (and eventually, where you and I met); by dint of being located in Bloomington, Illinois, we were by definition “as close to Normal as you could get” without actually quite being there. Geographically (and thus technically) true, but we certainly had ourContinue reading “So Far From Normal”
Category Archives: Weltschmerz und Zeitgeist
Can’t Bring Myself to Worry
Dearest Rachel – I never got into it with you – you used to watch them while I was at work and Daniel at school – but I know you were into certain varieties of horror for entertainment. I think it reminded you of those days when your Mom was away with one seminar orContinue reading “Can’t Bring Myself to Worry”
Plausible From One Angle
Dearest Rachel – It may not seem like it, since I’ve been able to contact you every day with some news or other, but there’s been a limited amount of stuff going on for me to tell you about. The fact that I can write to you at all has more to do with beingContinue reading “Plausible From One Angle”
Keep Your Head Down, Keep Your Mouth Shut
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know why – I never do, because no one can understand dream logic once they’re awake – but last night saw me hitchhiking across Canada, of all places. It was during their football season (which ended several weeks ago in real life, so the timing of this dream is aContinue reading “Keep Your Head Down, Keep Your Mouth Shut”
The Lists We Still Need to Deal With
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s just how things work in the American holiday calendar, I suppose. We no sooner get through with one that, by name and nature, reminds us to be both content and grateful for what we have, than we begin on the one whose whole purpose seems to be the diametric oppositeContinue reading “The Lists We Still Need to Deal With”
Sānùk (สนุก) and Suffering
Dearest Rachel – I’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of today – much of which built up while I was overseas, and some of which even has to do with this trip and others in the near future – and while I was contemplating it all, this word popped into my head.Continue reading “Sānùk (สนุก) and Suffering”
Early Morning Epilogue
Dearest Rachel – Travel is like this sometimes; flights take off at the weirdest hours, and one has to be up and out in order to catch them. So it is with us; after writing you last night about the activities of yesterday, Daniel and I bundled ourselves off to bed (at nine-thirty, which wasContinue reading “Early Morning Epilogue”
A Shabbat from the World
A Shabbat from the World – It would seem that the Shabbat includes a disconnection from electronic devices and the news. I don’t know how well I could do that, myself.
They… Pray!
Dearest Rachel – I realize just how silly this statement sounds as I’m preparing to type it, but it has to be said; there are times when I have no idea what my mind is thinking. That would seem completely oxymoronic on its face; it’s my mind, I’m inside of it, I am it, inContinue reading “They… Pray!”
Not Done Out Of Boredom
Dearest Rachel – While I’m specifically writing to you with these letters – complete with references to things only you would know from actual experience – I’m well aware that there are people reading this over your shoulder. It’s what happens when you put something out on the internet; someone else will stumble across itContinue reading “Not Done Out Of Boredom”
Walking Away from the Runners
Dearest Rachel – It feels wrong, almost like cheating, to write to you about something I didn’t do over the past weekend. And yet, there’s been this sense that I owed you (or somebody) an explanation for this choice of activity – or rather, inactivity – this weekend, as I’m not out cheering the runnersContinue reading “Walking Away from the Runners”
Fancy Dress Hero
Dearest Rachel – Like most Monday nights, you would have been all over the theme at Sparks last night, having to do with dressing like your favorite superhero. Indeed, you had more than a few pieces to the puzzle that you would have put together to play the part of the ‘superhero’ you would haveContinue reading “Fancy Dress Hero”
When Those Who’ve Lost Let Go
Dearest Rachel – I promise you, I have a recap story for you from our adventures knocking around Boston, and I will gather to them soon enough (as soon as I’ve put together the videos I shot as we walked from what felt like one end of the city to the other, but really onlyContinue reading “When Those Who’ve Lost Let Go”
What Does Daisy Want?
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure you remember how pop culture influences our conversations; how we relate to each other, and even how we see ourselves. Remember the little internet quizzes that would ask “what character from [the latest ‘thing’] are you?” I think we were a little dismayed, for instance, to see that we wouldContinue reading “What Does Daisy Want?”
To Tell About Our Days
Dearest Rachel – As humans, we have a surprising amount of difficulty explaining to others how we spend our time, and what exactly we do with it. Or maybe it’s just me, which basically illustrates my point. You see, even though we know, intellectually, that it’s not so, we find it hard to imagine thatContinue reading “To Tell About Our Days”
Either a Liar or a Fool
Dearest Rachel – You probably remember this meme, as the template has been going around for ages: “Never Ask: a woman, her age; a man, his salary; and” the third option – the real punchline – being something that the questioner really wouldn’t want the answer to. It would either one of those ridiculous imponderablesContinue reading “Either a Liar or a Fool”
DIY Catfishing
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another dip into my news feed. This one hits a little closer to home, as it touches on the topic of artificial intelligence, and the relationships we develop with it – quite literally, in fact. This is something I’ve come across that really makes me wonder where we’re going asContinue reading “DIY Catfishing”
Don’t Always Follow Leaders
Dearest Rachel – I mentioned yesterday about reading through my news feed as part of my body’s scheme to distract my mind from getting everybody up and out of the house to work on getting back into shape, particularly after a couple of days in a row in which I’d had a heavy meal atContinue reading “Don’t Always Follow Leaders”
Pondering Addiction
Dearest Rachel – It’s said that humans are, as a rule, narcissistic and self-centered, with no innate sense of empathy; whether that’s due to the Fall or something else, anyone is free to make theories about the underlying cause. It dismays me to go through these letters and see all the use of the first-personContinue reading “Pondering Addiction”
Two Against the Hawk
Dearest Rachel – I would promise you that this title and story has nothing to do with the individual known virally as the “Hawk Tuah” girl, except that she came to prominence well after your departure, so you wouldn’t have the first clue about who I’m even referring to. For whatever it’s worth (not thatContinue reading “Two Against the Hawk”
Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?
Dearest Rachel – Despite the relative tranquility of our own personal lives, we were born into a world of utter chaos. The year of my birth was a particular annus horribilis; I can – and often do – imply the date by connecting it to the assassination of Martin Luther King (I have an alibi,Continue reading “Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?”
Random Groggy Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know if it’s more funny or annoying (I suppose it all depends on how groggy I am at the moment); I can be falling asleep trying to watch a YouTube video of an early evening, but as soon as I decide to make it official, and set the channel toContinue reading “Random Groggy Thoughts”
I Don’t Think I Try Sometimes…
Dearest Rachel – I’ve said enough about Memorial Day festivities for one year (at least!) already, honey, so I’ll set the day itself aside for now. I will say that getting together at Jeanette and Ramón’s place is still a little surreal. It’s like attending a family reunion where I’m not actually a part ofContinue reading “I Don’t Think I Try Sometimes…”
No Right to BE Happy
Dearest Rachel – One of the things about my news feed is that it has a certain bent (some would call it a ‘bias’) to it. Whereas so many major outlets claim the mantle of objectivity and impartiality (a cloak so obviously ill-fitting as to be utterly laughable, when you compare how they treat oneContinue reading “No Right to BE Happy”
Off the Digital Wagon
Dearest Rachel – A couple of days ago, I started in on a letter to you about a recent discovery about myself and my reactions to those around me. I’ve gotten maybe a third of the way into it, and every time I re-read what I’ve written, I’m less and less sure if I canContinue reading “Off the Digital Wagon”
from Rachel: The Fall of Revelation’s Babylon
What was the most interesting thing you learned about Babylon – in Genesis or Revelation – in yesterday‘s lesson? “Maybe the info about Nimrod and family, but about Babylon, that in the Bible it is the second-most mentioned city and antithesis of Jerusalem.” In brief phrases, list every way Revelation 18 describes Babylon’s excessiveness andContinue reading “from Rachel: The Fall of Revelation’s Babylon”
When It All Came Together, and It All Fell Apart
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been meaning to write you on this topic for some time, although I’ve always rather hesitated about doing so. It’s always seemed both bigger than I can cover in a single post (although I don’t seem to have a problem with a couple thousand words about what happened the weekend beforeContinue reading “When It All Came Together, and It All Fell Apart”
It Can’t Rain Forever
Dearest Rachel – While I might point out that I’m still sleepy this morning from having stayed up later than usual with Daniel watching videos last night – and I may have gotten a little too smug about dropping my weight down to two-oh-six after yesterday morning’s workout (had leftover salad to serve as myContinue reading “It Can’t Rain Forever”
I’d Tell You Everything
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday really had me going through my news feed rather than trying to finish a topic that I couldn’t resolve in that moment. In the process, though, I ran across a tweet – okay, a retweet of a retweet – that really made me stop and think about what I would doContinue reading “I’d Tell You Everything”
That’s How They Get You
Dearest Rachel – Technically, this is something I’d consider to be old news by now, having happened a week or so ago, but since it happened after your departure, it would still probably be news to you. You might remember those companies that would offer a DNA analysis service back in the day; I thinkContinue reading “That’s How They Get You”
Intentionally Insensate
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, after treating Kris to sushi (we were making good on a rain check from the week before, when she had to run out quickly after finishing her work on the house), Daniel and I made a couple of stops on the way home. They were mostly just ordinary grocery stuff, butContinue reading “Intentionally Insensate”
Things that Once Were Normal
Dearest Rachel – You’d think I was up late last night (and it may well have been, since Daniel joins me to hang out only once Logan heads off to bed at nine, which is too early for even me to call it a night); somehow, I didn’t open my eyes until it was almostContinue reading “Things that Once Were Normal”
Watching the Watchers
Dearest Rachel – I’m a little reluctant to tell you about the events (such as there were between Daniel and I) of last night; I don’t like to talk about politics here, even though we didn’t shy from such discussions in life. While the three of us tended to be on various spots within theContinue reading “Watching the Watchers”
Accustomed to the Emptiness
Dearest Rachel – To a certain extent, I think that I’m living the life I expected to when I graduated from college with no one to my name but myself. Much as some folks used to denigrate the university experience as an opportunity for certain females to obtain their “Mrs.” degree (is that still aContinue reading “Accustomed to the Emptiness”
Looks the Same
Dearest Rachel – The last time I was here at the Fashion Outlet Mall was just over a year ago, and for much the same reason; at barely above zero Fahrenheit, it’s just too darn cold outside to walk through the woods. So I’m wandering around here, waiting to meet up with Lars, at whichContinue reading “Looks the Same”
Rid of the Taxman
Dearest Rachel – This should probably be a letter for another two months from now, but it’s at the top of my mind at the moment, so I think I’ll tell you about it today. If nothing else, I’ve been having to do more about it over the last couple of days, so while there’sContinue reading “Rid of the Taxman”
Muzak Mornings
Dearest Rachel – It might go without saying, generally, but it’s definitely different to be traveling with someone than to be doing so on one’s own. You become aware of your own habits that might conflict – or at least contrast – with theirs, leaving you to question why you maintain them. One of theContinue reading “Muzak Mornings”
Righteous But Ribald
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure where to begin with this particular topic; it feels almost awkward to bring up, let alone explain what brought it to mind. Then again, I could argue that the way we would spend Saturday mornings make this topic the most natural thing to discuss every now and again. ButContinue reading “Righteous But Ribald”
Scorch Marks and Smoke Wisps
Dearest Rachel – Toni asked me the other day, upon realizing that the anniversary of your accident was coming up soon, if I was planning to do anything that day to honor it and you. Now, when I read that sentence after writing it, it makes it sound like she was asking if she couldContinue reading “Scorch Marks and Smoke Wisps”
Short on Time
Dearest Rachel – I’m short on time to talk with you today, honey; I’ll be walking with Lars, so I’ll need to come up with something to tell you about in the few hours between now and then, while also making sure I get a workout in and get over to the ‘office.’ Starting theContinue reading “Short on Time”
Silent Days
Dearest Rachel – I’ve spent very little time this year listening to Christmas music of any sort. Yes, there have been a couple of trips to the mall, and if I heard anything while Daniel and I were there, it was purely by accident; the conversation between the two of us, as well as theContinue reading “Silent Days”
Stale Breadcrumbs
Dearest Rachel – Despite the title of this letter, no, this has nothing to do with the leftovers moldering in the back of the fridge. While it’s true that we actually do have a few such things in there, both from the extended family party on Sunday as well as the main family get-together onContinue reading “Stale Breadcrumbs”
(Not An) Instagram Christmas
Dearest Rachel – I never was much for any of the social media juggernauts; I never had an account on Facebook, unlike you (although now that I’ve linked your account to my phone, I get notifications just about every day about one or another of your friends posting something and supposedly tagging you – toContinue reading “(Not An) Instagram Christmas”
Power Dynamics
Dearest Rachel – So today had me waking up not with a dream as such (although I guess there were some images involved that illustrated my thought process, but stringing them together would be more trouble than it’s worth, for several reasons), but rather an insight of sorts. To be sure, it’s not an apple-on-the-headContinue reading “Power Dynamics”
It Never Evens Out
Dearest Rachel – This would probably come as no surprise to you – although I don’t think I ever managed to establish a routine while you were around, what with post-retirement travel plans, the subsequent quarantine, and so forth – but I don’t ever spend an entire day at the ‘office’ since retiring from theContinue reading “It Never Evens Out”
Confidently Wrong
Dearest Rachel – One of the things about working the booth on Sundays is that you see things behind the curtain. That’s not to say that’s either a good or bad thing; while there’s something to be said about being a part of something decidedly Larger Than Yourself, this occasionally means you find yourself watchingContinue reading “Confidently Wrong”
Home Made Posters
Dearest Rachel – For all that they were (to a certain extent: we met there, we were young there, and while it may have been challenging at times, it’s hard to deny how much those first two obviate the third item) arguably the best days of our lives, I don’t think I talk all thatContinue reading “Home Made Posters”
Before Our Time
Dearest Rachel – Unlike you – who appreciated my description of you as five years old with forty years’ experience – I never felt all that comfortable as a kid, and made an effort to grow up as quickly as possible. I related better to my elders than I did to my peers (although, comeContinue reading “Before Our Time”
Not Everything Can Be Fixed
Dearest Rachel – The last few results from Tuesday have come in, and the funny thing is, none of it really came as that much of a surprise. The news organizations and channels Daniel and I were listening to actually predicted the results as they’ve come in – although they did seem to hedge theirContinue reading “Not Everything Can Be Fixed”
Observing the Hangover
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s over already (much to my surprise); and yet, it’s just begun, again. I honestly didn’t expect to be up this early in the morning after having been watching the returns with Daniel until well past midnight. You know well enough that I rarely do midnights; then again, this was aContinue reading “Observing the Hangover”
Any Topic But This
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another morning where I’d just as soon stay in bed. It’s gray and dreary out, despite the extra light provided at this hour by moving the clocks back in the wee hours of yesterday, and while it’s not exactly cold out – in fact, this is as warm as it’sContinue reading “Any Topic But This”
The Illusion of Choice
Dearest Rachel – In light of my current understanding of the process, I’ve resolved (if that’s the right word for it) to try to come up with a new T-shirt design at least once a week – and involve Daniel (and maybe Logan) in the process, in order to determine the ‘right’ image for eachContinue reading “The Illusion of Choice”
Sunshine Taken Away
The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping,I dream’t I held you in my arms.When I awoke, though, I was mistaken,And I hung my head, and cried. Dearest Rachel – I have always hated the song “You Are My Sunshine,” for reasons that should be obvious from the very first verse (no, not the factContinue reading “Sunshine Taken Away”
The Reminder
Dearest Rachel – Thanks to the fact that “some people did something” (to quote a certain congressperson whose constituency guarantees that she will never have to regret her choice of words; indeed, they all but celebrate such a callous attitude toward that day), twenty-three years ago yesterday, it’s impossible for me to forget about ourContinue reading “The Reminder”
Phone Book Paranoia
Dearest Rachel – I know a few people who are into the “true crime” genre of entertainment; heck, to a certain extent, I’ve started to follow a few YouTubers whose focus is in the genre (which – and I may have asked this of you in previous letters – I’d have been curious as toContinue reading “Phone Book Paranoia”
It Could Happen in Any Neighborhood, Now
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been meaning to write out the usual stipend to Twofeathers ever since the holiday weekend marked the turn from one month to the next. I admit that I’m nowhere near as faithful – or should I say punctual – as I was when it came to paying the mortgage to yourContinue reading “It Could Happen in Any Neighborhood, Now”
The Curtain of Charity
Dearest Rachel – For all that I talk about how you and I filled our gender roles in a slightly blurry way – where you had more ‘guy’ in you than the typical girl, and I had more ‘chick’ in me than most boys – when it came to our childhood reading habits, we wereContinue reading “The Curtain of Charity”
Thoughts on Transport
Dearest Rachel – So, for the first time in what seems like a very long while, the girls were over last night. Well, two out of three of them were, anyway, but that’s better than we’ve managed, lo these many weekends. We’ve got to take these moments as victories when we get them, even ifContinue reading “Thoughts on Transport”
Pondering This Morning’s Earworm
Dearest Rachel – It seems apropos of absolutely nothing, but that’s pretty much how earworms work; like dreams, they aren’t required – or even expected – to make much sense. And yet, in some ways, it gives one something to think about, even if it’s only the obvious (and somewhat unanswerable, given the previous statement)Continue reading “Pondering This Morning’s Earworm”
Needing Nothing
Dearest Rachel – The morning I woke up to was gray and dark; apart from the fact that a sufficient amount of time had passed that I was ready to get up (indeed, at nearly half past six, it was already later than usual for me), I could have easily slept in quite a bitContinue reading “Needing Nothing”
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?”
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?”
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”
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”
Docsplaining
Dearest Rachel – It should hardly come as a surprise that I haven’t watched any episodes of Doctor Who since your passing. There were, as you’ll recall, plenty of times in those last couple of years where, although it was fun enough for me to hunt them down online and collect them for you, gettingContinue reading “Docsplaining”
Mere Degrees From Artificial
Dearest Rachel – Well, I know you weren’t as into the high-tech toys that computers quite frankly have always been (and increasingly will continue to be) as I was (and always will be, I suspect), although your computer was your own favorite toy for our last ten or so years together. Still, you did haveContinue reading “Mere Degrees From Artificial”
Not What I Was Promised
Dearest Rachel – I found myself waking up at barely four o’clock this morning; I’ve no idea why. Rather than simply roll over and go back to sleep, I found myself compelled to head down to the gym in the already slightly muggy (not that I haven’t experienced worse) twilight. Again, I neither know norContinue reading “Not What I Was Promised”
Not All Sweetness and Light
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a while since I talked to you about earworms; frankly, it’s been a while since I focused much on any topic other than my travels. Let’s face it, on a trip like this, there’s rather a lot of that to talk about, to the exclusion of almost everything else. EvenContinue reading “Not All Sweetness and Light”
When I Let Myself Go…
Dearest Rachel – For all that I’ve been able to enjoy myself in these ports of call (particularly here in my beloved Japan), I don’t mind telling you that I’m looking forward to this stretch of sea days. It’s not as if we’re deep in the middle of the Pacific, like we were during muchContinue reading “When I Let Myself Go…”
But Why Repeat Myself?
Dearest Rachel – Ordinarily, on a day when we’re about to land in another port, I should be putting together an essay about culture and history, sights to see and things to experience… particularly with regard to local cuisine. But I have to admit that my heart’s not in it today. Some of that isContinue reading “But Why Repeat Myself?”
How Broken Am I?
Dearest Rachel – As much as I admit there are things that I need to get done before the end of this week and I head out, there are times when I’m just not motivated to do so. Daniel and I get home from our night working at Sparks, Logan comes down from his room toContinue reading “How Broken Am I?”
Snippets for the Future, Nothing for the Now
Dearest Rachel – One of the problems with spending so much of one’s waking thoughts on a big event in the future is that there’s not much thought being put into what’s going on around one in the present. To be sure, it may well be that most people aren’t trying to document their lives likeContinue reading “Snippets for the Future, Nothing for the Now”
Proof of Concept
Dearest Rachel – I’ve concluded that there’s no way that I’m going to be able to tell you everything about my upcoming trip in so many words; pictures are going to be necessary, and perhaps moving pictures even more so. So between one thing and another, I’ve decided to put together short video letters to tellContinue reading “Proof of Concept”
A Future on This Planet
Dearest Rachel – This isn’t exactly breaking news, as far as today or yesterday goes; it’s been gradually getting to this point over time (albeit a relatively brief period of time). But I submit it to you as further proof of Dad’s improvement with regards to his health; when I’m visiting him, he likes toContinue reading “A Future on This Planet”
I Just Can’t Even “Imagine”
Dearest Rachel – I’m pretty sure that, once upon a New Year’s Rockin’ Eve of yore, when we actually watched those sorts of things live on the television rather than on some stream across the internet, you and I saw, just before the ball began its minute-long decent to the roof of the Flatiron Building,Continue reading “I Just Can’t Even “Imagine””
Sub-Celestial Homesick Blues
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure when exactly we got into listening to Bob Dylan; certainly, it was long after his real moment had passed (although considerably before the Nobel Committee noticed him, so we were at least ahead of those old fogies). Not that we could help it; his peak was before we wereContinue reading “Sub-Celestial Homesick Blues”
Last-Minute Preparations
Dearest Rachel – As embarrassed as I may be to relate this to you, at least I can take comfort in the fact that you wouldn’t be giving me grief about it, as you were every bit as prone to procrastination (on a regular basis, I might add) as I have been this Christmas season.Continue reading “Last-Minute Preparations”
When Everything is Trivial…
Dearest Rachel – While the crisis has passed for now – Dad is settled in a nearly convalescent home, and undergoing physical and occupational therapy, such that he neither requires nor necessarily event wants too many people around him for too long thereafter, as he’s too tired to socialize, and will say so – thereContinue reading “When Everything is Trivial…”
Postcard Confessions
Dearest Rachel – In the midst of some of my worst days at work, I would occasionally spend my lunch breaks cruising through a site called PostSecret. It was – and is – a combination worldwide art project, confessional and therapy session. You might recognize some of the material that has been sent anonymously toContinue reading “Postcard Confessions”
Unfinished Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – Most of the time, when I’m writing you, I find that I need to do so all at one sitting. Which makes sense; if I’m writing you every day, I need to have a certain amount of time set aside every day to do so, so why not finish the job duringContinue reading “Unfinished Thoughts”
For the Last Time
Dearest Rachel – There’s a saying that has made its way around the internet. It doesn’t appear to be a quote, per se; probably because it hasn’t ever been structured in a particularly pithy manner so as to make it properly quotable. But that doesn’t make the sentiment any less poignant. It states that, thereContinue reading “For the Last Time”
Prison Planet
Dearest Rachel – There have been moments in our lives where we managed to forget that conflict – well, perhaps I shouldn’t sugarcoat it, and just call it ‘war’ like I ought to – is the natural state of the world collectively, just as sin is the natural state of individual mankind. When we wereContinue reading “Prison Planet”
Sturdy Grains of Sand
Dearest Rachel – For all I know, this may have escaped your notice back in the day; I certainly couldn’t keep track of your library until I was forced to go through it and determine what could be given away and what I couldn’t part with just yet. But among the many books I broughtContinue reading “Sturdy Grains of Sand”
“Hello, Caller Number Fifty…?”
Dearest Rachel – It generally begins just as I’m about to leave the house these days, sometimes while I’m eating breakfast (which alarms me more because the phone is liable to wake Daniel), sometimes while I’m showering, sometimes while I’m getting dressed. But since it’s the only way to get rid of the interruption withoutContinue reading ““Hello, Caller Number Fifty…?””
What it Means to be Home
Dearest Rachel – I’ve told you before about how I’ve been trying to expand the assortment of music I’m exposed to, if for no other reason than that to dilute the frequency I have to deal with songs that we would have considered ‘ours,’ whether or not they were part of our mix tape collectionContinue reading “What it Means to be Home”
Sinking Leadership
Dearest Rachel – This is not a topic that would come up between us very often, but I know we would occasionally discuss the phenomenon when it would happen to us individually (and it usually did happen to us on an individual basis; as I describe it, you’ll understand why). We would be reading aContinue reading “Sinking Leadership”
A Man With a Plan
Dearest Rachel – In his (posthumous) Oscar-winning turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger utters the line to Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, “Do I really look like a guy with a plan?” The implication behind the question is that Dent is supposed to conclude that of course not; the Joker is tooContinue reading “A Man With a Plan”
Picking the Lyrics Apart
Dearest Rachel – I want you to know that I’m not trying to avoid your memory – heck, if I was, would I be writing to you every day like this? – but there’s only so much I can take of going through my offline music library, where I’m guaranteed to encounter one of ‘our’Continue reading “Picking the Lyrics Apart”
More Time At the Office
No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’ Arnold M. Zack, labor and management arbitrator Dearest Rachel – Well, this is certainly one quote that I never needed to learn through experience. Even going back before turning into the worker drone that society expected me toContinue reading “More Time At the Office”
Don’t Try to Solve Your Problems
Dearest Rachel – I won’t call what I woke up with this morning a dream, as such. There’s no particular story to tell you about, exactly. But in going over the situation as I see it from a distance, there’s a moral to be grasped from it all; not a particularly uplifting or encouraging one,Continue reading “Don’t Try to Solve Your Problems”
Old – And Gone – Before Our Time
Dearest Rachel – Last night, I found myself dreaming about how I needed to make preparations for Kevin to come up here to the Chicago suburbs to see us, as he usually does. It is about that time of year, after all – Labor Day is just a little more than a week away. IContinue reading “Old – And Gone – Before Our Time”
Never the Target Audience
Dearest Rachel – There was another thing that came to mind for a topic to discuss with you yesterday morning as I was working out, but since I had the actual events of the day (and the attitude associated with them) to describe to you already, I set it aside for the time. But sinceContinue reading “Never the Target Audience”
Greetings From the Robinsons
Dearest Rachel – Well, it seems as though my subconscious decided to take the night off last night; I guess I can’t expect it to come up with something to tell you about every night. After all, there are plenty of real-life things I could be telling you about. It’s just that none of themContinue reading “Greetings From the Robinsons”
On Disgust and Fear
Dearest Rachel – There are so many reasons why I wish I could have you back here with me. Most of them are perfectly obvious; I miss all the things we used to do together – and would like to continue to do them with you, rather than do them alone, or try to findContinue reading “On Disgust and Fear”
What We Would Watch
Dearest Rachel – Last night, while occupying my evening with YouTube in the bedroom while the boys were doing likewise in the family room, I was presented with an AdSense question that, at the moment, struck me as rather strange. It was asking me how often I watched horror films and series, with responses rangingContinue reading “What We Would Watch”
Tinted Greys
Dearest Rachel – Much as I like to have it taken care of before I start in on the ‘real work’ of my day, unless I’ve had a dream I simply must tell you about before I forget it, writing you is rarely my first task of the day. And no, ‘tasks’ like opening myContinue reading “Tinted Greys”
Limits to Freedom
Dearest Rachel – Back in the day, you remember that I used to read articles from my newsfeed out loud to you, partly in order to practice reading scripts for the day when I brought my channel online, and partly because I simply agreed with (or at least was amused by) the writer’s perspective, andContinue reading “Limits to Freedom”
The Treasure of Your Words
Dearest Rachel – So… later this afternoon, I head over to Jenn’s place and hop a ride with her and Bill to tonight’s wedding. I still have yet to try on a jacket, tie on a tie, and write a check to the happy couple as a gift (I’m not one for shopping, after all,Continue reading “The Treasure of Your Words”
Electric Summer
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday morning, I was carrying my cereal bowl into the dining/family room to eat breakfast – I’ve never really managed to find a good, comfortable place to set myself down in the kitchen on one of those bar stool chairs I’d gotten shortly after the remodeling was completed, and the fact thatContinue reading “Electric Summer”
Letters to Rachel 