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”
Tag Archives: college
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!”
Speaking Terms
Dearest Rachel – I have to admit, this particular cold, and the measures Daniel and I have taken about it, feel like life under the Covid lockdowns. I haven’t been to the office since Monday – especially since Dad reported to me that Mom was dealing with a similar level of illness as I wasContinue reading “Speaking Terms”
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”
The Reason for the Rasp
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning with a nasty rasp in my throat. I didn’t try to speak (who would I talk to at that hour? It was later than most mornings – more on that eventually – but the boys aren’t up at oh-dark-thirty like I am, and you’re… well, you wouldContinue reading “The Reason for the Rasp”
Not Quite All Night
Dearest Rachel – I hardly need to remind you that we were never exactly what you’d call “party people.” We didn’t hit the town to go clubbing but once every few years, and those times that we did, we found the atmosphere too dim and too loud. Even in college, I probably attended more fraternityContinue reading “Not Quite All Night”
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”
Work Stories Lost: The Dying Industry
Dearest Rachel – I promised myself, at the beginning of the year, that when Daniel and I would go over to the folks’ for dinner, I would make an effort to record the conversations we would have when we gathered in the family room after the meal. The point of this was not so muchContinue reading “Work Stories Lost: The Dying Industry”
No Walk of Shame
Dearest Rachel – When I was talking with Kerstin about you the other night, one of the stories I brought up was the time I came down to university over Homecoming after I’d graduated. I couldn’t recall whether it was your junior or senior year, but the more I think about it, the more I’veContinue reading “No Walk of Shame”
Not On the Same Wavelength
Dearest Rachel – It was nice to hear your voice again last night, even if we clearly weren’t on the same wavelength – or even in the same time zone. And I’m not talking about those few hour differences that I’m still coping with throughout the last week (although they clearly have something to doContinue reading “Not On the Same Wavelength”
Return on Investment
Dearest Rachel – This past week, when the girls were over for our every other Friday get together, Ellen and I were together in the kitchen, talking about old times. She is the one person I can talk to when I want to reminisce about you, as her memory is stronger than mine, and goesContinue reading “Return on Investment”
Maple Sugar Club
Dearest Rachel – Well, this is one of those dreams that I wake up from wondering where it came from. I’m almost tempted to just say ‘forget about it,’ but it was so… realistic that I couldn’t seem to ignore it. One of the particularly odd things about it is that I haven’t even seenContinue reading “Maple Sugar Club”
Hide And Seek as a Contact Sport
Dearest Rachel – This is gonna be one of the more elaborate dreams that I’ve dealt with in a long time, and I don’t have a lot of time to put it together before it evaporates on me. Besides, that we’re coming after me shortly. It’s taking place on the Wesleyan campus as we rememberContinue reading “Hide And Seek as a Contact Sport”
The Lord Never Spoke to Me (part four – College)
Dearest Rachel – For all the momentous decisions I had to make in my life, they should’ve been one upon which everything hinged. Had I not gone where I went, I would not have met you, we would have not become us… everything depended on this moment, on this choice. And while I’m sure IContinue reading “The Lord Never Spoke to Me (part four – College)”
Stories I’ll Never Know / Ιστορίες Που Δεν Θα Μάθω Ποτέ
Dearest Rachel – Jan and I are continuing to make progress on cleaning the house, although the going is considerably slower than before. It’s one thing to bundle up your clothes for donation, knowing no one in this household will ever wear them again. It’s another to determine which of my clothes need to go,Continue reading “Stories I’ll Never Know / Ιστορίες Που Δεν Θα Μάθω Ποτέ”
Letters to Rachel 