Author Archives: John Swinburn

Vagueness—or imprecision—inhabits a “nearly” incalculable number of words in the English language: Many. Some. Almost. Few. Probably. Thick. Short. Considerably. Close. Near. Far. More. Less. Hard. Likely. Occasionally. Quite. Extremely. Low. Rarely. Fast. Mostly. Often. Nearly. Soft. Frequently. Long. High. … Continue reading →

The sky remains dark, just a few minutes before 6:00 a.m. as I sit down at my desk to begin my pointless morning ritual: recording my thoughts before they disappear into the day. Ephemeral fragments of the dream from which … Continue reading →

Loneliness and solitude live in the same neighborhood, but not necessarily in the same house. The subtle differences between them, sometimes hard to see, mimic the conflicts between aching or longing and satisfaction. Loneliness rushes in to fill a cold, … Continue reading →

I began writing almost three hours ago. But I stopped to experience the world around me to write these introductory words: Welcome to a tangle of anger, joy, calamity, serenity, and sorrow. Emotions wrap themselves in one another, confusing truth … Continue reading →

Negative space is just as important as positive space. Places we should leave alone…places we do not belong…should be respected for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is that interference with them is the handiwork of dangerous psychopaths … Continue reading →

Time steps in its own way, stumbling over itself and reversing course without explanation or apology. Wishes become memories. Facts become unreachable expectations, hidden by a tapestry of temporal tarps woven from invisible threads. Time tricks us into reliving memories … Continue reading →

A few days ago, I wrote a bit about abstraction; not to explain it, but to explore my interest in the concept. I thought writing about it could reveal some insights into it that might not otherwise emerge. The jury … Continue reading →

When I got out of bed shortly before 4:00 a.m., I was disturbed to realize the distressing national and international news from recent days had stayed on my mind again overnight. News about violent incursions by ICE in Minneapolis and … Continue reading →

My plunging motivation to write mirrors my confidence that the words I write convey enough meaning to warrant spending the energy required to type them.  A favorite French phrase—Le jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle—explains it better than my English … Continue reading →

What in the name of Driftwood Charlie? That string of words came tumbling out of my brain in the form of question when I woke up—very late—this morning. Accompanying those words was a lilting melody I vaguely recognize…but not in … Continue reading →

The complexity of language is fascinating…but not sufficiently so to prompt me to delve deeply into learning multiple languages. I’ve discovered lethargy is an antidote to fascination. The reverse, unfortunately, does not seem to be the case. +++ Something else … Continue reading →

The setting of Mayor of Kingstown is as much a character in the series as are the humans with acting roles. The town is bleak in every way. Individual houses appear to have been neglected for years, after having arisen … Continue reading →

I need more caffeine. One little cup of espresso—especially the lukewarm espresso that dripped into my cup—has not yet thrilled my tongue. I must find the YouTube video I once saw, giving instructions for resetting the machine to [possibly] correct … Continue reading →

We finished watching Season one of Mayor of Kingstown last night. The series is brutal and bloody. The story line wanders through ugly territory between realism and impossible—but convincing—fiction. Its action sequences may have stopped and restarted my heart dozens … Continue reading →

My fascination with unicorns has lasted quite some time, beginning as a child and continuing—but declining in intensity—into adulthood. I do not know whether the whimsical fantasy surrounding unicorns triggered my curiosity about narwhals or my interest in narwhals sparked … Continue reading →

Someone will read this post and scoff at what they perceive as its absurdity.  It’s actually more reflective than it might look. +++ Finally, after what seems like a month-long holiday weekend, a new week is beginning to unfold. A … Continue reading →

Another tired excuse for a day, its promise lost to an action plan left to sour on a street awash in soggy old calendars remaining from Time’s childhood. The day could be salvaged if enough optimism could be captured and … Continue reading →

After a brief flash of Winter, Spring spun through and around us, toppling rotted trees and otherwise reminding us how powerless we are in comparison to Nature. Today, the season seems to be an uncertain combination of the two, neither … Continue reading →

Another year of uncertainty begins. Like so many years before it, the outcome of this new year cannot be predicted with any degree of confidence. The challenges facing humanity— and the planet we inhabit—might finally overwhelm us, leaving only shattered … Continue reading →

If not for the chemotherapy session scheduled for a little later this morning, I would return to bed in an attempt to sink into unconsciousness. Whether my body would permit it, though, is a matter for debate. Discomfort rudely interrupts … Continue reading →

The year is in its death throes. Only today and tomorrow remain. The rest of 2025—barely recognizable as it collapses into its ultimate decay—is a mound of shattered and splintered days—nothing more than smoldering embers and ashes. Gasping for a … Continue reading →

One day, I will write it. Until then, I will keep looking for words to describe it. When I find them, if indeed I do, I will write it. In the meantime, I will continue to leave myself clues. Sorting … Continue reading →

An old-style calculator sits on my desk, almost hidden beneath the computer monitor.  “Old-style,” meaning a stand-alone desktop device dedicated to arithmetic functions.  Mine is a latter-day old-style calculator, a small dual-powered (battery and solar) device.  I justified keeping the … Continue reading →

Last night, while listening to an Amazon Music station’s selection of soft, soothing piano music, my mind conjured an idea for a huge graphic that would illustrate the enormity of the scope of words that relate to Time. In the … Continue reading →

On this day after Christmas, I feel an urge to write about war. I am grateful for having never been asked to fight in a war. I wonder whether I would have had the courage of my convictions and refused … Continue reading →