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”
Tag Archives: daily life
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”
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”
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”
An Honest Cheat Day
Dearest Rachel – Four-thirty in the morning, and I’m awake. It doesn’t exactly surprise me; while a little earlier than most days this week, I’ve been getting into something of a habit of waking up early enough to walk down to the gym and put in a few miles of walking in before getting backContinue reading “An Honest Cheat Day”
In Every Direction At Once
Dearest Rachel – There are days when, as I sit down in front of the computer to write to you, I find myself dealing with writers’ block, even with – possibly even especially when – considering the events of the day or so past. Some days, there just isn’t much of interest going on; thereContinue reading “In Every Direction At Once”
I Still Have My Appetite
Dearest Rachel – It’s almost funny; last week, I was struck at various times by a good half-dozen ideas of thoughts to tell you about – and which didn’t pertain to the moment at hand, so they could be kept in reserve until such time as I didn’t have much to tell you about fromContinue reading “I Still Have My Appetite”
I Don’t Like Piña Coladas, Either
Dearest Rachel – A few years ago, there was this song that was part of the top 40 repertoire whose chorus began with “if you like piña coladas / and getting caught in the rain…” I never bothered to look further into it, since as far as I was concerned, it was nothing but anContinue reading “I Don’t Like Piña Coladas, Either”
I Think I Got Its Attention
Dearest Rachel – It’s been over a week since I bought that new computer to replace the one in my ‘office’ in the basement of my folks’ house. Indeed, it’s almost been a week since it arrived and I took it over to Best Buy to have an additional hard drive installed. Now, while youContinue reading “I Think I Got Its Attention”
His Mother’s Son
Dearest Rachel – After making such a big deal of it last year, what with rediscovering your notes and observations during his first year with us (to be fair, it was a milestone at thirty, so that should have been expected), I almost let Daniel’s birthday slide a bit, as far as these letters areContinue reading “His Mother’s Son”
It Takes More Than Just Sweat
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a very hot weekend, honey. Not just outside – which has indeed been hot, getting well up into the 90s – but inside as well. On Friday, Logan pointed out that the pipes for the air conditioner had frost all over them, and when I called the HVAC people toContinue reading “It Takes More Than Just Sweat”
Not According to Plan
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday did not go according to my plan for it, honey. Ordinarily, I try to fast over the weekend when I’m working the booth; and while there was the temptation of a party involving the worship team after the Saturday service (which for the sake of my social life, I probably shouldContinue reading “Not According to Plan”
To Clear My Mind
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday, I met with Pastor Scott, in part at my dad’s suggestion. It’s been a while since we used to get together for lunch – in part for fairly obvious reasons, but it’s been more than just the fact that I’ve been traveling that’s keep us from connecting. Just like withContinue reading “To Clear My Mind”
Impulse Indulgence
Dearest Rachel – I’m honestly not sure how you would have reacted; maybe, as you hear the details, you wouldn’t think of it as such a big deal. And, truth be told, it wasn’t quite the impulse buy as the title might indicate (although there wasn’t that much thought put into it, either, leading toContinue reading “Impulse Indulgence”
Hidden Agendae
Dearest Rachel – One of the ways that I can tell that I’m really back home – apart from the obvious facts of my surroundings – is the fact that not only can I tell the difference between days, but paradoxically, my weekends are busier than the days of the week. For most people, ofContinue reading “Hidden Agendae”
Empty Minds and Screens
Dearest Rachel – I was up earlier than usual today, for reasons that escape me. Daniel seemed to have fallen asleep with one of his internet broadcasts on, and the noise of it would occasionally seep into the bedroom and stir me to wakefulness. So I finally gave up around a little after five, andContinue reading “Empty Minds and Screens”
Dragging Him Out of the House
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably completely unnecessary for me to do this; Daniel has gotten out of the house on a regular basis in my absence. Partly out of necessity, of course, since I’ve not been around to go shopping for whatever the household may lack over these last couple of months, but also forContinue reading “Dragging Him Out of the House”
Back To The Plan
Dearest Rachel – It’s taken a few extra days for me to do this, but I’ve finally got around to it. Maybe it stems from a guilty conscience about what I admitted to yesterday (combined with the fact that, as per said admission, I slept far too much during the day, and not all thatContinue reading “Back To The Plan”
I Paid For This Room
Dearest Rachel – There’s a certain irony in my telling you about how, on these sea days, I prefer to stay in my room, while at the same time I’m hanging out elsewhere on the ship. In my defense, this is partly because this is about the time when I could be expecting Marlon toContinue reading “I Paid For This Room”
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…”
Locked Out
Dearest Rachel – Really, it’s hard enough to get myself motivated to do actual work while I’m on this trip most days. Between the go-go-go of days that we’re in port, and the subsequent lethargy of sea days (compounded by having to deal with a restraining cold), I find myself dealing with a distinct lackContinue reading “Locked Out”
Improbable Hand-Me-Downs
Dearest Rachel – I know that, over the past year or so that I’ve combined watching what I eat with a regular pattern of exercising, I’ve managed to get myself down to a reasonable (if not yet necessarily ideal) weight. I’ve shed more than fifty pounds, to the point where I’ve spent the last couple ofContinue reading “Improbable Hand-Me-Downs”
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”
The Last Thing That I Need
Dearest Rachel – I suppose it could be worse; at least this way, I’ve got just enough time to let it run its course before I head out. This morning saw me waking up at about three-thirty to a very unpleasant sensation; not so much for the sensation itself, as what it represented. Lying there, tryingContinue reading “The Last Thing That I Need”
Easy On the Envelope
Dearest Rachel – On paper – or on the calendar, anyway – I gave up this weekend; I didn’t manage to fast at all. Both days saw me eating something, despite the fact that, apart from December (because, you know, parties and other holiday get-togethers), I’ve been trying to go without when I’m working the boothContinue reading “Easy On the Envelope”
The Important Out of Focus
Dearest Rachel – Given the situation that’s been more or less dominating our lives for the past two weeks, even overshadowing the Christmas season and its attendant hustle and bustle, you would think that I would have more to say about Dad at this point. If nothing else, I’m pretty sure I’d given you the impressionContinue reading “The Important Out of Focus”
Can’t Fix What You Can’t Find
Dearest Rachel – The Seventh Doctor was probably quoting someone else (actually, many someones else, I’m sure – it’s undoubtably a very common saying, now that I think about it) when he observed that “the difference between comedy and tragedy is a fine one; it’s only a matter of timing.” At the time, he was (characteristically)Continue reading “Can’t Fix What You Can’t Find”
The Brits Have a Term for It
Dearest Rachel – More than most people, I’m quite well aware about of how we Yanks and the Brits are “separated by a common language.” On this side of “the pond,” my name is just that – a name – while over there, it’s not used as a name for the very reason that itContinue reading “The Brits Have a Term for It”
The Challenge of Storytelling
Dearest Rachel – It happens so much less often these days – especially during busy seasons, such as the impending Christmas holidays – that you would think I would have plenty to tell you about when the girls come over. But it doesn’t seem to work out that way in practice. To be fair, whileContinue reading “The Challenge of Storytelling”
The Way Things Used to Be
Dearest Rachel – What with Logan out of town for the weekend, I don’t find myself needing to sequester myself in the bedroom; the boys aren’t hanging out together in the family room in the evening. It almost feels like the way things used to be, with me and him hanging out in the familyContinue reading “The Way Things Used to Be”
The Course of a Thousand Days
Dearest Rachel – It’s not as obvious as looking on the calendar and seeing a “23” on it, as happens every month. It probably would have even passed my notice if it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been sending “a line a day when you’re far away,” and the site keeps tabs of howContinue reading “The Course of a Thousand Days”
Creating Unnecessary Chaos
Dearest Rachel – I think I might have told you about how I couldn’t figure out how to get the wall-mounted space heater in our bedroom to fire up and run as this season has grown colder; if I haven’t, I guess I’m telling you now. There’s a pull chain underneath it that would seemContinue reading “Creating Unnecessary Chaos”
Laundry Morning
Dearest Rachel – As with a number of mornings, I don’t really have anything in the way of a coherent story to tell you about today. No weird dreams, apart from a scene or two of the two of us competing in a old-school video game tournament against a number of other individuals and teamsContinue reading “Laundry Morning”
If Things Had Been Different
Dearest Rachel – To a certain extent, I suspect you might be the slightest bit disappointed in me. With the new church tradition of holding separate women’s and men’s weekend retreats at the camp, I’m sure that you would enthusiastically embrace the former and strongly encourage me (and Daniel, I shouldn’t wonder) to go upContinue reading “If Things Had Been Different”
Sudden Deadlines
Dearest Rachel – Obviously, this title is a misnomer; there’s rarely such a thing as an unexpected deadline. It’s just that we go so long ignoring them, that once they finally loom in the near distance, we find ourselves agog, wondering “Wait… where did that come from?” I know you understand where I’m coming from;Continue reading “Sudden Deadlines”
Six Pounds of Scattered Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – Once again, I begin a morning – and a week – with no single, coherent topic to discuss with you today. So I hope that you’ll forgive me for just throwing out a couple of paragraphs here and there as I splash through my stream of consciousness; try not to get tooContinue reading “Six Pounds of Scattered Thoughts”
Random Bits
Dearest Rachel – You know, I have a couple of letters that I’m currently working on to send you, but they aren’t exactly talking about things that are happening to me at any given moment; they’re more just ongoing stuff. So I’m carefully assembling those still, hoping to release them to you when I haveContinue reading “Random Bits”
“Let’s Just Get This Over With”
Dearest Rachel – It probably wasn’t the best idea for me to totter off to bed by nine-thirty, but by the time Logan realized we were home from having dinner at the folks’ and joined Daniel to watch anime with him, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. If it weren’t for theContinue reading ““Let’s Just Get This Over With””
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”
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”
Ignoring the Thunder
Dearest Rachel – King Solomon wrote about how there would be days like this as he grew older; how he would “rise at the sound of a bird,” even as he could barely hear “the daughters of song.” This morning started with what sounded to me like the noise of movers on the roof, rollingContinue reading “Ignoring the Thunder”
Changes of Plan
Dearest Rachel – The thing about yesterday’s synchronicity of inconveniences is that life rarely works out so well (even in the midst of not working out so well); that’s really why I wrote to you about it, because it was so unusual. Not only were each of the main issues out of the ordinary, butContinue reading “Changes of Plan”
Convenient Inconveniences
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know where I heard it originally, but it’s been said that there are no such thing as coincidences; it’s just that God doesn’t always want to sign His name to everything that happens. Considering that some of what happens isn’t exactly what we would call ‘good’ (although, given our collectiveContinue reading “Convenient Inconveniences”
Commitment Kept
Dearest Rachel – This is something I hardly need to tell you, as you always meant what you said when you said it, but… one must never make an offer to someone that one isn’t prepared to back up. Now, this isn’t to mean that I have just done this; when I got the textContinue reading “Commitment Kept”
How to Start the Morning
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if you’d be amused by the fact that I’m getting this much milage out of the effects of a holiday intractably stuck in the middle of the work week like this. You’d probably point out that it doesn’t affect me as much as most people, now that I’m able toContinue reading “How to Start the Morning”
The Space Between the Spaces
Dearest Rachel – It’s been barely four years, and already I’ve forgotten how to deal with days like this – or how others deal with days like this. Of course, since you never had a nine-to-five weekday workday job yourself, you wouldn’t exactly be the person to ask about this issue. Not that it reallyContinue reading “The Space Between the Spaces”
My Timeline and Its Alternatives
Dearest Rachel – It probably doesn’t come as any surprise to you, but I often find myself wondering how different things would be if you were still here. Not just the big, obvious things; even the incremental pieces of a single day’s timeline might be altered in ways I can barely imagine. Still, I’m aboutContinue reading “My Timeline and Its Alternatives”
All Happening at Once
Dearest Rachel – For all that I paean my semi-retired state as being one where I’m completely free to do anything I want to at any time, that’s never really been entirely true. There are always constraints to one’s supposed freedom, be they physical, moral, logistical, financial or otherwise self-imposed. It might be taking thingsContinue reading “All Happening at Once”
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”
Shouldn’t It Be The Weekend By Now?
Dearest Rachel – You know, apart from putting sufficient time in at the ‘office’ (and it’s not as if I haven’t done any ‘work’ there these last few days), it rather feels like it’s been a suitably full and eventful week already. I’ve gotten in all the exercise I ever do these days in theContinue reading “Shouldn’t It Be The Weekend By Now?”
Restating the Past
Dearest Rachel – I’d thank you and Kevin for the visit, but as it wasn’t even long enough for me to react to your presence, I don’t know how worthwhile it was for the two of you to bother making a cameo appearance in my dreams last night. I think we were wandering the corridorsContinue reading “Restating the Past”
One List for Another
Dearest Rachel – I didn’t expect to be writing you again so soon, to be honest, honey – it’s just a day of errands, when all is said and done, after all – but considering that my earlier letter pretty much ended with far too many words already and me still only making plans toContinue reading “One List for Another”
Moving Toward São Paulo
Dearest Rachel – I’m going to start with a few apologies with this letter, honey. First of all, this one is going to be a little rambly, compared to most of the things I write to you. I know I try to keep a consistent theme with each of these letters, but it’s not goingContinue reading “Moving Toward São Paulo”
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…”
The Order of the Day is Silence
Dearest Rachel – Although compared to you, almost anyone could be considered a morning person (especially if one has a nine-to-five – or rather, a seven-thirty-to-five-thirty – job to go to), I never tended to think of myself as such. I mean, it’s not as if I wanted to get up at five in theContinue reading “The Order of the Day is Silence”
Preparations for Company
Dearest Rachel – I set my alarm early today, as I usually do nowadays for Saturday mornings, so that I don’t miss the men’s Bible study. It’s not something that you could have related to, but when you were here, that wasn’t one of my priorities anyway. In any event, I probably should mention thatContinue reading “Preparations for Company”
Ahead of the Curve
Dearest Rachel – Now that I’ve gotten back to a certain semblance of normal – while at the same time always having to acknowledge that nothing since the lockdowns has been, and nothing since your departure will ever be, truly “normal” again – life has been a matter of reconnecting with those in my circlesContinue reading “Ahead of the Curve”
Never Quite Ready
Dearest Rachel – So, since I already told you about the problem that arose while we were over in Akita, I figured that I ought to tell you about how things got resolved, now that it more or less has been. No sense in letting these things hang over one’s head, after all. Sure, youContinue reading “Never Quite Ready”
All Part of the Show
Dearest Rachel – You might be surprised (or you might not, what do I know?) to discover how often I get started on the letter to you, only to virtually crumpled up and throw it over my shoulder into the trash. Maybe I can’t find an ending for it. Maybe it’s just too rambling andContinue reading “All Part of the Show”
Taking it Easy (Relatively Speaking)
Dearest Rachel – I confess to not being entirely at ease at breakfast; the dining room has what Daniel wants to eat today, but it opens an hour later than the other places serving breakfast, and gives us but and hour to eat and prepare ourselves to head out on our tour. But somehow weContinue reading “Taking it Easy (Relatively Speaking)”
Muddled Morning
Dearest Rachel – It’s that kind of morning today; I know I’ve said it before, but it never ceases to strike me as topsy-turvy that the one day a week I have to set my alarm is a Saturday. Sure, it’s the one day that I actually have a commitment to be somewhere earlier thanContinue reading “Muddled Morning”
Testosterone Blues
Dearest Rachel – There’s an old joke that I remember only vaguely – I’m probably going to get most of the details wrong, but as long as the setup and punchline are intact it shouldn’t matter – about a fellow my age or maybe older, who’s worried about feeling his age. He tells his friend,Continue reading “Testosterone Blues”
Avoiding the Crowds
Dearest Rachel – At dinner last night, the subject of what plans Daniel and I had planned for tonight came up. After a couple of weeks of not being able to get together, due to various illnesses (first – and for that matter, still, unfortunately – Ellen, and then myself), it seemed likely that theContinue reading “Avoiding the Crowds”
Unexpected Productivity
Dearest Rachel – Now, you know from experience that, when I get sick, I’m knocked out for the better part of a day, at the bare minimum. It’s not a week of feeling crummy like Daniel has, nor is it a month of mild malaise like you used to deal with. It’s generally a coupleContinue reading “Unexpected Productivity”
Not What I Intended
Dearest Rachel – You just never know the sort of things that will stick with you; the smallest throwaway line heard in childhood may nestle in the back of your mind and serve as a guide from time to time whether you want it to or not. I don’t know how your parents kept youContinue reading “Not What I Intended”
Tools and Toys
Dearest Rachel – There are days when I look back over the day at ‘work,’ and think to myself that I spent it doing anything but. It’s not that I regret the time spent just playing around with the computer, mind you, but when the folks ask about what I did, and if I accomplishedContinue reading “Tools and Toys”
Three Squares
Dearest Rachel – I think I may have quoted it at one Thanksgiving meal or another, but I’d been told of a mealtime grace I understood to be attributed to Oliver Cromwell, but which turns out to be from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Many have food but no appetite, while others have appetite but noContinue reading “Three Squares”
It Happens Every February
Dearest Rachel – You might or might not remember it, but Bill Engvall used to do a routine about how we humans (news folk and weather forecasters in particular) have the shortest memories, particularly when it comes to recurring events, like the change in seasons. In Texas, where he came from, it was guaranteed that,Continue reading “It Happens Every February”
If A Tree Falls…
Dearest Rachel – It was a little after five in the morning when it happened. I was in the middle of a dream about a young husband (not me, obviously) trying to raise a ridiculous amount of money – some $800 million or so – for his wife’s medical expenses, and succeeding to the tuneContinue reading “If A Tree Falls…”
Trying Not to Break the String
Dearest Rachel – I think it was somewhere between eight and nine o’clock that Lars called me last night, in part to wish me a happy new year, and also to decide what day this week to go walking together (for the record, we’re going tomorrow, as today is apparently threatening rain). At some pointContinue reading “Trying Not to Break the String”
When You’re Deep in the Weeds…
Dearest Rachel – There were plenty of days when I would come home from the office (both when I was actually working at my job, and after I had set myself up with a desk in my folks’ basement after retiring), and you would ask me about my day, and I would have a certainContinue reading “When You’re Deep in the Weeds…”
As Normal as the Sky
Dearest Rachel – For all that is said between us as we walk through Harms Wood, the conversations that I have with Lars are generally like whatever happens proverbially in Vegas; everything is meant to stay there, not to be repeated. But when the topic turns to the relationship you and I had – andContinue reading “As Normal as the Sky”
Preoccupied With the Same Old Things
Dearest Rachel – I already wrote nearly a thousand words to you this morning, only to be forced to accept the fact that I could never post it as it was. It was the sort of dream that might be taken as a good omen had it been on New Year’s Day (although it containedContinue reading “Preoccupied With the Same Old Things”
The Difficulties in the Dark
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, even as she arrived and got started on cleaning up the house, Kris commented on how much she hated the fact that things were so dark and gray that morning. And to think, she was so much more motivated than either of us would be on a day like that; howContinue reading “The Difficulties in the Dark”
When Nothing’s Happened Yet
Dearest Rachel – I have to assume that the concept of time is meaningless to you at this point. There is no night, as I understand it, since God Himself is everywhere, and lights up heaven wherever He is, so there is no differentiating between days, or even from any one point of time toContinue reading “When Nothing’s Happened Yet”
The Other Side of the Conversation
Dearest Rachel – For all my talk yesterday about being able to lean over to you and say whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, there is, of course, another aspect to the newfound silence in my life. That is to say, the lack of response to anything I might say to you in the hereContinue reading “The Other Side of the Conversation”
Christmas in the Pest House
Dearest Rachel – You might remember it from one of your parents’ books of old New Yorker cartoons. There was a particular artist in the magazine’s early days, one John Held, Jr., whose style tended towards old fashioned woodcuts, as opposed to the typical line-and-shadow drawings one thinks of. Whether that’s what they really were,Continue reading “Christmas in the Pest House”
Sick Day
Dearest Rachel – The only bit of good news when I woke up this morning at 4:30 (yeah, I guess I still haven’t gotten used to the time difference yet) was that my temperature was only 97.2°, so at least I know there’s no fever. That’s not even taking into account the fact that lastContinue reading “Sick Day”
The Lengths Gone To
Dearest Rachel – I don’t recall the family ordering Thanksgiving pies from Baker’s Square before, to be honest. Or maybe it’s just that I was never tasked with picking them up before. In any event, it never crossed my mind as to what to expect when I got there. I’d planned on picking up lunchContinue reading “The Lengths Gone To”
The New Saturday Routine
Dearest Rachel – I think you might remember me telling you back in the day how odd it was that, once I was able to retire, I only ever had to set my alarm on Sunday mornings. Of course, that’s to be understood; when we volunteer to work at all three services on a givenContinue reading “The New Saturday Routine”
Tapped Out (for the Moment)
Dearest Rachel – There are days when the slightest thing can trigger a flood of memories for me to write you about. Like Marcel Proust going on for pages about the shape, texture, and mouthfeel of a madeleine cookie, there are days when I could write for ages on the smallest thing, if I feltContinue reading “Tapped Out (for the Moment)”
Not Suited for the Season
Dearest Rachel – Halloween was never celebrated much at our place, was it? What with it being on a major thoroughfare, our house was only ever visited a handful of times at best on any given year. and that was before we were dealing with things like the pandemic and social distancing and the polarizationContinue reading “Not Suited for the Season”
The Pull of Responsibility
Dearest Rachel – While you spent much of your life trying to maintain a certain level of childhood (and fairly successfully, I might add – certainly in comparison to myself or nearly anyone else we knew), there are certain aspects of that station in life that leave one longing for the joys of the imaginedContinue reading “The Pull of Responsibility”
Preparations and Purchases
Dearest Rachel – You were instructing me to help you out in finding a protective screen for your touchscreen computer, as you were planning on taking it with on our travels. You seemed to be looking forward to the trip. For my part, I didn’t know how to react to your request. I hadn’t intendedContinue reading “Preparations and Purchases”
Cold Open
You know how it goes; you remember how the episodes began when the revival fired up. It’s the top of the hour, and what you’re watching is too good, too professionally produced to be a commercial. The visuals are stunning, and the action has you already hooked on what’s going on. But there’s been noContinue reading “Cold Open”
More Nothing Than I Know What to Do With
Dearest Rachel – For the most part, yesterday was my own fault, so I really have no right to complain about what happened – or rather, what didn’t happen. To be fair, I enjoy my retired life; the lack of deadlines and responsibilities to a boss, the (admittedly somewhat theoretical) freedom to do or goContinue reading “More Nothing Than I Know What to Do With”
Like a Drunken Sailor
Dearest Rachel – Most people would rather not be thought of as profligate when it comes to their spending habits; I certainly don’t. Sure, my family raised me to be generous with regard to giving (and I’ll get to that later on), but they also taught me to be prudent with what money came myContinue reading “Like a Drunken Sailor”
Bolt From the Black
Dearest Rachel – It was half past three; I checked almost immediately after it happened. My mind was just wrapping up a dream about a flight that was forced to land in the packing lot of our church’s Des Plaines campus when there was this thunderous explosion, as if it was coming directly from ourContinue reading “Bolt From the Black”
Girls and the Golden Cocoons
Dearest Rachel – This letter will have to wait for a couple of days; as I mentioned in the last one I wrote you, I had to do some shopping for my sister’s birthday present, so this needs to wait until I’ve actually given it to her, lest I run the risk of spoiling theContinue reading “Girls and the Golden Cocoons”
Hadn’t Heard Your Voice in So Long
Dearest Rachel – Wouldn’t surprise you to know that I’ve started to forget what your voice sounded like? For all that I’ve kept your cell phone – and still continue to pay a nominal fee for it – it’s been ages since I’ve called it to hear you say how you ‘can’t come to theContinue reading “Hadn’t Heard Your Voice in So Long”
In No Mood to Get Up
Dearest Rachel – It’s six in the morning, and for whatever reason, I’m awake. It’s not quite pitch black, but it’s pretty thoroughly dark out yet. Several muscles surrounding my Achilles’ tendon are still screaming at me, despite my attempts to stretch them ex post facto. And I’ve just woken from a dream in whichContinue reading “In No Mood to Get Up”
Running from Responsibility?
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning, wondering why I might be imagining myself as a runaway staying at some halfway house on the outskirts of an actual city, rather than as I am, a homeowner in the suburbs, supposedly in charge on my own destiny. I know I have this mental picture ofContinue reading “Running from Responsibility?”
Status Quo Ante
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning. A new day, a new week, a new month – for all intents and purposes – and, for those who bother to keep track, a new quarter. Just about everything is new today. And yet, it’s back to the same old, same old. After a week away from the ‘office,’Continue reading “Status Quo Ante”
Forgoing Breakfast For Going to Breakfast
Dearest Rachel – There are mornings when I don’t know what to tell you about. Not for lack of things to talk about, necessarily (although there are some days like that), as much as what to focus on – and in some cases, what not to focus on. There are mornings when I stand inContinue reading “Forgoing Breakfast For Going to Breakfast”
A Milestone Missed
Dearest Rachel – There’s not much for me to do today, in terms of commemorating our thirtieth anniversary. I’ve already posted our wedding video, and that game show we participated in on the cruise we took to celebrate our twenty-fifth (it’s shocking to consider how much has changed in the span of less than fiveContinue reading “A Milestone Missed”
More Like The Painting
Dearest Rachel – After two or three hours of rinsing off pots and pans to be put through the sanitizer (using nothing but cold water, since otherwise it wouldn’t be enough hot for the sanitizer, so… that was fun), I joined the rest of the guys in setting up the dining hall for some kindContinue reading “More Like The Painting”
The Freedom in Work
Dearest Rachel – “Work makes [you] free.” So the saying goes, most notoriously and deceptively on the iron gates of Auschwitz. Personally, I was never one to believe it; you recall how grateful I was to be freed from my job when your parents passed away, and you were pleased to be able to letContinue reading “The Freedom in Work”
Way Too Soon
Dearest Rachel – I know I deliberately retired to the bedroom early last night in order to get up with enough time to get ready and be at church by seven, but I meant to wake up at five. Two a.m. is way too soon. And yet, that’s when I found myself awake, mulling overContinue reading “Way Too Soon”
Inverted Day
Dearest Rachel – I suppose that title might be overstating things a little bit. From the sound of it, you might gather that this is going to be a day in which I conduct my business at night, and sleep during the day. And while there are plenty of people who do that for aContinue reading “Inverted Day”
Letters to Rachel 