Author Archives: John Swinburn

Money is a cudgel, a weapon disguised as a tool to claw through difficulties so we can reach the peace and happiness buried beneath the obstacles built from shattered dreams. Oh, they’re not our dreams; they’re hopes dreamt by emperors … Continue reading →

Everyone needs to tone it down. Everyone. Sean Hannity. Brian Stelter. Chris Cuomo.  Jake Tapper. Tomi Lahren. 45. You. Me. Everyone. Rage, if allowed to go on unchecked, will lead to an outcome no one (except lunatics on the outer … Continue reading →

Today is my wife’s birthday. It coincides with the umpteenth World Tour of Wines, so instead of celebrating by going out to a nice dinner at a nice restaurant, we’re going to join eight friends at Coronado Center to experience … Continue reading →

I posted number 2600 without fanfare because I forget I was at that point. My forgetfulness notwithstanding, I think number 2600 deserves acknowledgement; just a tad bit of respect. I’ve spilled a lot of thought on the screen to have … Continue reading →

I awoke this morning to evidence of heavy rain and wind while I was sleeping. My big tomato plant was bent in half, blown away from its metal cage and its leave water logged. The forecast, which calls for more … Continue reading →

My mood today is moderately better than yesterday’s nadir. The aroma of hope wafts through the water-logged air, suggesting something sanguine awaits beyond my view, hidden by the morning fog. I wish I possessed the skill or talent or whatever … Continue reading →

This morning, I feel a bit like I felt that awful night in November, 2016, when it became apparent that the United States had elected a rancid pig as its president. In the ensuing year and a half, the pig … Continue reading →

I haven’t posted for several days now. It’s not that I haven’t written anything to post. It’s that what little I’ve allowed myself to write has been dark and nervous, as if written by a ground squirrel stuck in a … Continue reading →

A short while ago, I received a text message from a friend, saying only “Tis a sad day, amigo…Anthony Bourdain dead at 61.” A link to a CNN article about Bourdain’s death was included. Bourdain, who was in France working … Continue reading →

I had a phone call from a friend yesterday. The purpose of her call was to share with me an idea for a novel. The idea? Write a novel that follows the development of what is now the United States … Continue reading →

I had a long, involved dream, more like a nightmare, several nights ago. I awoke in the middle of the night (see number 8, below) and rushed into my study to record what I could remember. Even immediately after waking, … Continue reading →

Two and a half months after our house received a new roof (mid-March, 2018), we experienced one hellacious hail storm. On the afternoon of June 2, the promised “spring showers” turned into fifteen minutes of relentless hail raining down. Fierce … Continue reading →

Last night’s hail storm. Take a look at 05:20 and beyond.

[The words below were published accidentally; I intended to “save draft” for later use but they got published, instead. The shards of ideas here are just that—fragments. Much of this will never find its way into a finished poem. That’s … Continue reading →

Accuser: “Your dog bit my child.” The Innocent: “I do not have a dog.” Accuser: “My child is at the doctor’s office because of your dog’s vicious attack!” The Innocent: “I do not own a  dog.” Accuser: “Officer, this is the … Continue reading →

This morning, I’ll treat this blog as my journal. Yesterday, I spent some time with a man who is my political opposite. I try to avoid any conversations of politics with him because my blood pressure and my voice tend … Continue reading →

[This is a modified version of what I originally wrote. After posting it, I thought about my reaction to the issues addressed in this post and realized how far off base I was. So, here is my revised version. I … Continue reading →