Rosie

  Rosalind Worthy sits in the waiting room at the Granger Cancer Facility, in Seattle, where she's been receiving treatment for more than six months. Her mother, Abigail, sits beside her, and her little sister, Rhiannon is across from her, looking through a copy of Highlights magazine. Rosalind is wearing a large, floppy hat to … Continue reading Rosie

What Nature Intended 

  To someone trying to reason out why people behave the way they do, homosexuality may seem like an anomaly. Two men together or two women together cannot produce a child, and since the biological imperative for all creatures on earth seems to be to survive and procreate, homosexuality doesn't appear to play a role … Continue reading What Nature Intended 

Secrets, Lies, and Home Invasions 

  Travis Maudlin is a man of many quirks and peculiarities, much of which he keeps to himself, though some of his oddities can't be so easily contained. On more than one occasion, his coworkers have noted his habit of muttering to himself under his breath; his almost pathological refusal to use anyone's name in … Continue reading Secrets, Lies, and Home Invasions 

Dunkirk Estates 

   Howard stares out his upstairs window at his neighbor, Zack, washing his car. Zack is at least sixty-five or seventy, Howard guesses, since all he knows about Zack is that he's retired, and is wearing no shirt as he applies wax to the car's exterior and buffs it. Howard shakes his head as he … Continue reading Dunkirk Estates 

Strange Bedfellows: Politics in Post-Rational America 

Part of the trouble with our current system of governance is that it takes so long and costs so much to gain and retain office, that only someone comfortably wealthy or in the pocket of wealthy business interests can afford to run. Factored into the equation is the tremendous amount of scrutiny most public figures, … Continue reading Strange Bedfellows: Politics in Post-Rational America 

Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Abraham and Abimelek 

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the bible is pretty much done with Lot and his nameless daughters, until their descendants, the Moabites and Ammonites start hassling the tribes of Israel many generations later. One wonders why Lot didn't just drop in on his uncle, given the special relationship Abraham seems to have with … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Abraham and Abimelek 

Not a Love Song: The Tragedy of Juliet

Shakespeare's best known tragedy is the story of two star-crossed lovers, who, in death, end their families' conflict. Despite being hailed as a great romance, Romeo and Juliet is, in no way, a love story, but very much about individual responsibility and the consequences of making decisions in the heat of passion. Romeo is very … Continue reading Not a Love Song: The Tragedy of Juliet

Failing, to Succeed 

I have a saying, "Hank Aaron didn't hit a home run every time." It's my way of reminding myself that for every success, there are a thousand less than perfect outcomes. In fact, failure is much more common than success. The term "trial and error" best sums up the practice of implementing a strategy, observing … Continue reading Failing, to Succeed