Author Archives: John Swinburn

Friends called yesterday afternoon and dropped by for a visit, bringing with them one of the best apple pies I have ever tasted. The pie is from a shop called Gooseberry Handmade Pies (I think…I’m not looking at the pie … Continue reading →

At some point in the extremely distant past, planet Earth was entirely whole—an original fireball slowly cooling and transforming energy into mass. During the intervening millennia, though, the character of the spinning sphere changed dramatically. But we can only make … Continue reading →

I visited two different mental health counselors a few years ago, in the hope the conversations would help enable me to cope with or shed—or, at a minimum, reduce the intensity of— feelings of deep emotional turmoil. After just three … Continue reading →

During a fairly brief period twenty to thirty years ago…or thereabouts…residential trash compactors were much more popular than they are today. I am unaware that anyone I know uses—much less owns—a trash compactor today. But I checked. The machines are … Continue reading →

The drive between Texarkana and Houston is considerably more peaceful than the one between Dallas and Houston; at least as I remember the latter journey. Although several years have passed since I my most recent trip from Dallas to Houston, … Continue reading →

A person can disagree vehemently with another’s core philosophies, yet still have respect for that individual. Such has been my experience with regard to Pope Francis, who died this morning. He believed deeply in a “creator;” I do not. He did … Continue reading →

Ah, today is Easter Sunday. There will be fewer eggs hidden in gardens this year. And those that are found will be dull white or brown—who can afford eggs or the imported dye to color them…both marked up by 140% … Continue reading →

Some time after returning home yesterday afternoon, a good friend texted to inquire how thing went during our trip to M.D. Anderson in Houston. I responded that it was a long week and I was tired; too tired to talk. … Continue reading →

Life is one long process of getting tired. Samuel Butler +++ After all these years, I still am not sure what I want to be when I grow up. Or should the question be “who I want to be?”  “What” … Continue reading →

The prospect of one-finger typing—along with demanding days at M.D. Anderson and sixteen-plus hours on the road—have kept me away from blogging for a few days. Finally, well into this bright Sunday afternoon, I am fulfilling my self-imposed obligation. The … Continue reading →

The lights of Houston, both downtown and the western edges of the city to the horizon, are attractive…but a clear, dark view of the absense of evidence of civilization would be more appealing. +++ My “workday” is just under one … Continue reading →

Crushing disappointment, arising from a collision between unwarranted euphoria and shattered expectations, leaves the victim of that horrific experience feeling empty and immeasurably sad. Such is the situation when the victim dreams that his hopes are on the verge of … Continue reading →

If every job function were assigned a measure of value and all positions involving various job functions were given calculated measures of their collective value, we might be able to classify all employment job functions according to their relative importance. … Continue reading →

Some mornings I go to the FOX News website to see what the conservative network is reporting. My intents are: to learn the perspectives and philosophies of people who think differently and; to try to find common ground that could … Continue reading →

At what point would insurrection be an acceptable response to a totalitarian regime? And who would need to accept that response to legitimize it? I think about such things far more frequently than I would like. Today’s world makes thinking … Continue reading →

Both major political parties in the U.S. emphasize their support of positions near the ends of opposing philosophical spectra. And both parties demonize the other’s leaders—and supporters. The other parties, in general, focus on one primary issue, appealing to a … Continue reading →

The ferocity of last night’s wind and rain and thunder and lightning felt and sounded like the final storm had come to wash all of us off the surface of the Earth. But both of us are (I think) still … Continue reading →

Tiny chartreuse leaves have sprung from the twigs and branches of large trees visible from my office window. A few days ago, those leaves did not exist; or they were so small they were invisible from my vantage point. Each … Continue reading →

I want a back massage. I may NEED a back massage. Almost every day for the past week, intermittent pain in my upper and middle back has been a source of discomfort. It’s not terribly bad, but sufficiently irritating that … Continue reading →

The blood vessels beneath the skin on my right arm and right hand are more than simply visible. They appear to be just barely shy of the surface—working their way toward contact with the air around me. The tangled webs … Continue reading →

Anger, to achieve its ultimate objective, must be controlled long enough to grow into a hidden, but unquenchable, lust for retributive power—absolute domination. That is the point at which pure anger is unleashed in the form of volcanic rage, enveloping … Continue reading →

I heard a piliated woodpecker (I think…it could be another type of woodpecker) hammering on a tree. It sounded like a distant jackhammer; used in an effort to bring down a huge pine tree. How would I know how a … Continue reading →

The call came yesterday afternoon. I signed, electronically, the consent form to participate in a clinical trial of a cancer drug that has not yet been given to humans. While I do not expect the drug to magically cure my … Continue reading →

A phone call yesterday afternoon brought me one step closer to participating in a clinical trial (research study) of a product intended to battle cancer. Later today or tomorrow, if the process plays out as explained to me, I should … Continue reading →

My fascination with the absence of sound probably had its origin when I realized that, even in a place insulated from sound, I could hear…something. Whether it was blood coursing through the veins in my ears or constant, faint noises … Continue reading →