Author Archives: John Swinburn

The safest countries in the world today, according to worldpopulationreview.com, “tend to display high levels of wealth, social welfare, and education” and they “typically have effective criminal justice systems and governments that maintain very healthy relationships with their citizens.” The … Continue reading →

It was another one of those seemingly endless nights, blending the remnants of the fading day with encroaching darkness. The night again lasted far longer than did darkness, finally giving in halfway into another day. I find it hard to … Continue reading →

The time is almost 7:00 p.m. I decided to write a short post, despite the late hour. I may write again tomorrow or I may decide I have nothing of interest to share. Time will tell. +++ I thought I … Continue reading →

Much of last night, spent on the fringes of sleep, felt like punishment for an unspecified crime or major infraction. Half-asleep and one-quarter awake, the rest of my hours of “sleep” churned in unpleasant semi-consciousness. Now, when I try to … Continue reading →

I’ve begun writing posts for this blog a number of times during the past few days, giving up each time after admitting failure. Today, regardless of my judgment of the quality (or lack thereof) of what I write, I will … Continue reading →

The day began later than usual after nearly two more days of nearly non-stop sleep. Sometime during the last umpteen hours, a concept took root in my brain. I expected it to express itself in the form of a short … Continue reading →

The feeling of elation that accompanies an unexpected contact by someone who mattered and made an important positive difference in one’s past is impossible to difficult to describe. But those feelings include emotions touching on giddiness, gratitude, admiration, respect, and … Continue reading →

If Christians and Muslims and Jews and Atheists and all the other people who identify with descriptive terms used to categorize religious beliefs (or the lack thereof) were serious about peace on earth, that seemingly impossible dream would be easy … Continue reading →

Cold, wet strips of the sky fell in pieces, leaving behind darkened and discolored patches of pastel-stained air. On the ground, those shiny globs of fallen sky were almost transparent, their barely discernible pink and blue tints giving them an … Continue reading →

No matter how tightly I close my eyes, the monochromatic images remain—as if they are permanently etched on polished spheres that spin at high speed inside my eyelids. The dark forest green figures—thousands of distinct, unique items—fill my entire field … Continue reading →

Until yesterday, I knew very little about Charlie Kirk. I had heard about him or read his name online, but my exposure to him was limited to reading a few quotations attributed to him. I found offensive his condemnation of … Continue reading →

I’ll start by acknowledging that my writing frequently (and intentionally) merges reality with fiction. People have told me they do not know whether, when they begin to read them, my blog posts are factual, fictional, or a combination thereof. But, … Continue reading →

I hope somewhere in this empty universe, something capable of turning me inside-out will become apparent to me. Something that has clawed its way deeper and deeper into a protective cavern. But, unless I dig deeper—scratch harder—and scrape with every … Continue reading →

Since starting to write this morning’s blog, I have bounded from mood to mood. And idea to idea—most, fortunately, did not find their way to this post. I have bounced between emotions and passions. And stumbled between rage and love. … Continue reading →

I have plumbed the depths of anger, only to discover its base is always beyond reach. Anger refused to be the tool I dreamed it could be. Rage, too, fell short of my expectations. There must be something else that … Continue reading →

Yesterday’s visit to the pulmonologist was a precursor to a bronchoscopy, scheduled for next Wednesday. The appointment for the bronchoscopy procedure conflicts with my next chemotherapy treatment. So, today I will attempt to reschedule the chemotherapy. Ideally, I would be … Continue reading →

I remember very little of my early childhood, when I was known as Sherlock Shakespeare. But my few memories from that brief period of my childhood are crystal clear. Ours was the first family in our tiny English village to … Continue reading →

Another busy day awaits—oncological blood-letting, Fall seasonal maintenance of the fireplace and propane heating system, and a long-delayed haircut. Tomorrow will bring still more attention to my healthcare and to periodic household upkeep and maintenance. To start this day off … Continue reading →

My frustration grows when my ideas feel sticky and incomplete. Frustration turns to panic when my lungs fill with a viscous fluid mix of jagged grains of sand and warm creosote. No matter what I do in my attempt to … Continue reading →

Neither the sun nor the moon looks on us with compassion. Their emotionless stares seem to bathe us in indifference. On occasion, though, their fierce glares far surpass apathy, offering evidence of unrestrained animosity—the kind of hatred ignited by betrayal. … Continue reading →

The incredible majesty of the universe—where the simplest of the simple is far and away the most complex and where the most intricate is the the purest and simplest—may be the single most compelling argument that humankind is incapable of … Continue reading →

If my level of interest was high enough, I might explore the reasons why so many pharmaceuticals are called by so many names. But I would say my level of interest ranges between moderate and moderately high, with occasional surges … Continue reading →

Years ago, on one of our periodic road trips, my late wife and I drove west from Chicago. I do not recall with certainty whether we had a particular destination in mind or whether it was, like so many of … Continue reading →

Yesterday was full of medical procedures and appointments. It began with a PET-scan and blood draws before noon, followed by a review session with the radiologist, and finished with a visit with my oncologist, who reviewed the PET-scan results with … Continue reading →

Fiction is merely a preview of upcoming facts—a look ahead to see the world in the absence of pressures and constraints on its path along the way to get there. Tomorrow is today—but dressed in bright colors and fine jewelry. … Continue reading →