Dearest Rachel – The problem with emotions and feelings is that it’s difficult to explain what one is feeling in a way that another person would understand exactly. Oh, we might be able to give a general idea to an audience what something feels like – and usually, that’s the best we can hope forContinue reading “Sitting On the Pain Scale”
Tag Archives: communication
Walls of Meaningless Text
Dearest Rachel – Lynda Barry, underground cartoonist and one of Matt Groening’s mentors and inspirations, once described love as “an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.” Considering your and my distaste for tobacco in the first place (although you might remember my claim that cigar smoke, in small doses, is redolent of childhood trips to WrigleyContinue reading “Walls of Meaningless Text”
The Latest Bit of Family Slang
Dearest Rachel – I honestly can’t remember when I last visited our village public library, despite the fact that it’s supposedly one of the largest in the state (although obviously superseded by that of Chicago itself, I don’t think there are too many others that are larger). Sometimes, if I think about it, I assumeContinue reading “The Latest Bit of Family Slang”
A Conversation Erased
Dearest Rachel – There are certain aspects of my life where I follow in your footsteps, insofar as I can’t – and don’t – get rid of things, even in cases where I know I’m not going to use the things I’m keeping, To be sure, most of the things I hang onto (or maybeContinue reading “A Conversation Erased”
The Silent Treatment
Dearest Rachel – I have to admit, it was something I hadn’t considered about traveling to a place like Honduras, where I don’t have coverage with my phone plan (although maybe it would be wise for me to look into one of those eSIM cards for future travels here and there). For the entirety ofContinue reading “The Silent Treatment”
Out of Sync
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably not advisable for me to be writing to you like this at three or four in the morning; it certainly would have been pointless to talk to you like this back in the days when you were alive, as you would have just gotten to bed and fallen asleep, mostContinue reading “Out of Sync”
We Can’t Disconnect Completely
Dearest Rachel – For all that part of the appeal (at least for me, a non-fisherman) of this place – indeed, the entire island – was that it was a refuge cut off from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, you and I had difficulty going ‘cold turkey’ from it all. A weekContinue reading “We Can’t Disconnect Completely”
Are Things Not Satisfactory?
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke about a child who, for the first few years of his life, appeared to be completely mute, much to the consternation of his parents. They took him to doctors and specialists, who couldn’t find anything wrong with his vocal cords or his neural connections. Eventually, they gave upContinue reading “Are Things Not Satisfactory?”
Another Part of the Routine
Dearest Rachel – I’ve mentioned before how, at the moment, I’m best able to come up with (or at least start on) topics to relate to you in between crunch sets at the gym. I’m not sure why; it’s probably from having to do something while I’m catching my breath, and this is as goodContinue reading “Another Part of the Routine”
The Great Firewall
Dearest Rachel – I think I’ve mentioned a couple of times about how, over the last couple of days, I haven’t been able to do all the work that I’d like to, or need to, because of limited Internet access. To be sure, “like” is a strong word for it, as I’m more than happyContinue reading “The Great Firewall”
Speaking Love in the Wrong Language
Dearest Rachel – I really shouldn’t be grocery shopping when I’m planning to go out of town. Sure, a few snacks for the road – or even the hotel room; we always used to bring a supply from the local Japanese market when we would go to an anime convention, but that was often inContinue reading “Speaking Love in the Wrong Language”
Who Bothers to Read Minds?
Dearest Rachel – Well, it seems that, in the words of the late Charles Schulz (is he up there, by the way? Have you seen him? I’m thinking he might be hanging out with his childhood beagle friend), I’d wasted a good worry. Pastor Scott hadn’t really been concerned with whatever heavy questions I mightContinue reading “Who Bothers to Read Minds?”
The Things I Could Say…
Dearest Rachel – I started this morning with a flurry of activity, at least as far as filling you in on the events of yesterday (or more accurately, one event in particular that was more out of the ordinary than most). After filling the page with over a thousand words of detail and opinion, IContinue reading “The Things I Could Say…”
Getting My Money’s Worth?
Dearest Rachel – These days, I try not to worry overmuch about what this or that thing costs me. This is especially true of regular bills, like utilities and phone service. We’ll use what we’ll use, it’ll cost what it’ll cost, and there’s no sense in getting all bent out of shape about it, because…weContinue reading “Getting My Money’s Worth?”
If You Could Read My Mind…
Dearest Rachel – I think I’ve told you a couple of times about how easy it is to write by dictating to Siri. Rather than bothering to find every letter on the keyboard, I can just talk to her, and everything shows up pretty quickly thereafter. Sure, there are moments when I have to stopContinue reading “If You Could Read My Mind…”
A Wish For Autonomy
Dearest Rachel – I know I used to joke about how many of their cars we could buy with the shares we owned in the company, but it was always a bit of a concern as to how for one could actually travel in a given day in a Tesla. Really, it’s a disadvantage thatContinue reading “A Wish For Autonomy”
Don’t Buy Dünderbeck a Hot Dog
Dearest Rachel – I confess to never having been a fan of love poetry; for one, it takes too much effort to cobble together something that fits meter and rhyme, and for the other, once assembled, it sounds cobbled together, slightly off and unnatural. As much as I enjoy the stories told by Shakespeare’s plays,Continue reading “Don’t Buy Dünderbeck a Hot Dog”
More Sabbath than I’d Intended
Dearest Rachel – Considering I’ve been silent since the first thing this morning, you would think that nothing happened all day. And to a certain extent, you wouldn’t be that far wrong. At the same time, there’s a sort of thought that’s what we’ve been asked to do, to take some time and rest. ThatContinue reading “More Sabbath than I’d Intended”
Three People, Four Screens
Dearest Rachel – As much as things will forever be different going forward, there are times when I realize that in some ways, things really haven’t changed at all. For one thing, I realize that the three of us – Kevin, Daniel and I – are not really all that far removed from the wayContinue reading “Three People, Four Screens”
Letters to Rachel 