Author Archives: John Swinburn

The forecast for tomorrow, finally, corresponds to my definition of ideal weather: a high of seventy-five and a low in the upper forties, with clear skies. Saturday, the day I will read a short piece on stage at our local … Continue reading →

Not long ago, I wrote what was to be a short vignette introducing the town of Struggles, Arkansas. There is no such place, except in my head. But I keep returning to Struggles and to my dissatisfaction with my description … Continue reading →

How many things do you take for granted every day? No, not just a number; a list. Might the list include the coffee you drink, your ability to be ambulatory, the roof over your head? How about food on the … Continue reading →

Early this morning, while I was trying to decide whether to get out of bed or stay there, imprisoned by the warmth, I had weird conversation with myself. I questioned whether anthropologists and their allies make too many assumptions while explaining … Continue reading →

The concept, or rather the practical application of the concept, of prison is bizarre. I’ve never thought of it quite the same way before, but this morning it hit me: society decides the behavior of an individual is sufficiently deviant … Continue reading →

M.C. Escher introduced me to optical illusion in art. I must have been in my mid to late teens when I first encountered Escher’s work, an odd assortment of impossibilities made possible with pen and ink and woodcuts and such. … Continue reading →

There’s a “what if” just waiting to be asked when something unplanned, unexpected, or unwanted happens. That “what if” can jar one into greater appreciation of what is, a more acute gratitude for the life benefits one enjoys without giving them … Continue reading →

Several years ago, during a business trip to San Diego, I took time out to seek out an Indian restaurant in La Jolla. An epicurean friend who lived on the east coast had encouraged me to give the place a … Continue reading →

I might be alone in this, but I’d very much like the opportunity to view a video of my internal organs as they function. Watching the esophagus and stomach do their thing may sound revolting to some, but it strikes … Continue reading →

“Spinning a yarn” is an idiomatic expression meaning “to make up a story” or “to tell a lie.” I gather the genesis of the expression was from a time when groups of women gathered to craft yarn on spinning wheels. While they … Continue reading →

Breathe and be happy. Smile. Look at other people as friends, even people you don’t know. A genuine smile feels good, whether giving or receiving it. I think people can read decency and generosity in others’ faces. They have a … Continue reading →