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Author Archives: John Swinburn
Working on It
Last night, I allowed myself to react to comments left on an online posting about Gawker’s release of George Bush’s telephone number. I loathe George Bush and hold him personally responsible for launching an illegal and devastating war in Iraq, … Continue reading
Posted in Serenity
4 Comments
It Pays to Call Foul
Tom Thumb Pharmacy reacted to my complaint about the cost of a prescription. I had complained about paying about $75 for a 30-day supply of a prescription drug, only to find I could get a 30-day for $11 (or $28 … Continue reading
Bad Poetry
Bad poetry smothers empathy with a pillow of ill-formed phrases. Bad poetry digests the imagination the way a snake eats a rat. Bad poetry causes people to drown tires and slash kittens. Bad poetry leads to spiritual poverty and financial ruin. Bad … Continue reading
Be It Resolved…
I was thinking today, as I sometimes do, about various things of major and lesser import. Among those things was this: I made no New Year’s resolutions for 2013. Not that it’s unusual for me; I rarely make New Year’s … Continue reading
Posted in Resolutions
7 Comments
A Breather
The music and lyrics to a tune from my youth, A Place in the Sun by Pablo Cruise, have been on my mind lately; I can’t get them out of my mind. Well everybody’s heart needs a holiday, some time … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Serenity
3 Comments
Serenity
It’s not an infatuation with the Buddha, it’s an infatuation with the concept of serenity. That’s what draws me to these images. That’s why I bought the wooden wall hanging. That’s why I’d like to have the large cast concrete … Continue reading
The Best Laid Plans
A huge number of bricks was the first acquisition of my evolving plan to do some work to my backyard, with the intent of turning it into a wonderful oasis of stress relief and happiness. I paid $12 for what … Continue reading
Posted in Cars, Sticks and stones
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Raw Emotion
It’s late, for me. Just after 11:30 pm. That’s late for me. But I’m not ready to go to sleep. I’m listening to music. Music has captured my soul this evening. I’m not sure just why, but it has. Tonight, … Continue reading
Posted in Music
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A Renaissance of Sardines
A recent conversation with my wife led me to discover a wonderful new way to enjoy one of my favorite foods: canned sardines. She asked, innocently enough, if I’d ever had a sardine sandwich. Perhaps she wondered about it because … Continue reading
Posted in Food
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Wannabe’s Block
These last few days, my attempts to put nascent thoughts into writing withered and crept into corners to die. Like the slime trail of a snail, they leave unpleasant evidence. Follow the trail and, at the end, their corpses litter the … Continue reading
Posted in Change
3 Comments
Last Tears
You think you’ve seen and felt the pain of loneliness? No, you haven’t. Real loneliness can be felt only at that very last moment, the breath that won’t be taken again. It’s only then that mortality becomes real. And by … Continue reading
Posted in Wisdom
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The Old Sculptor
Each time the heavy hammer hit the stone, sharp shards of splintered rock and dust erupted from the strike point. With each swing, he adjusted his stance and the direction of the hammer’s blow ever so slightly. That tiny adjustment … Continue reading
Posted in Art
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I Forgot I Didn’t Have Amnesia…But…the Dream
UPDATE: After my wife woke up, I told her about what I had written. Her memory is better than mine. My comments at the end reflect the original version; the revised and corrected information in the body of the post … Continue reading
Posted in Humor, Insomnia, Language
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A Cheery Socio-Political Diatribe
I have long since abandoned the misconception that world governments and the media are sources of reliable information. Instead, I have come to the conclusion that public statements from each of those two elements of “civilized society” are far … Continue reading
Posted in Lies/disinformation, Politics
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Too Little Sleep
I wonder what it is that dashes expectations and wishes on the rocks? Whatever crushes those crucial components of hope should be incinerated. None of us need such oppression. But here we are. My mood proves to me that, on … Continue reading
Questions with no Answers
Perhaps the solitude does it. The deepest, darkest hours of the night may unearth questions otherwise buried under the daytime rubble of incomplete thoughts and hurried conversations. Regardless of their genesis, the questions tend to arise when I awaken many … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy, Wisdom
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Road Trip to Florida
We (my wife, Janine, and I) spent the last fourteen days, more or less, on the road. The destination was Florida, where my wife’s high school friend now lives. The first day on the road, a Sunday, we drove about … Continue reading
Posted in Couch Surfing, Florida, Travel
12 Comments
Early
It’s just after 6:00 am on a Sunday morning. I’ve been awake for well over an hour. While my wife slept in the hotel’s king bed, I showered and got dressed. It must be my way of returning to normalcy. … Continue reading
Posted in Dreams, Travel
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There Has Been Blood
For the fourth time in just over a week, I had a nosebleed this evening. The very first one and this one were severe; both took over 20 minutes of “treatment” to conquer. Though I have read about all sorts … Continue reading
Couch Surfing, Mississippi Style
Last night, my wife and I had our first-ever experience as couch-surfers. It was delightful. Our host, a guy in his mid-thirties, was truly an interesting character. He is acquisitions editor for a university press, a position he has held … Continue reading
Posted in Couch Surfing, Travel
2 Comments
Couch Surfing the Southern Route
As my wife and I began preparing for our trip to Florida, we discussed the possibility of finally doing some couch surfing. While we’ve hosted other couch surfers, we have yet become guests of other hosts. This morning, we decided … Continue reading
Posted in Couch Surfing, Travel
2 Comments
What to Do, What to Do…Well, Let’s Drive!
During the past several weeks, I’ve been contemplating what I will do to earn a living as my extended sabbatical slowly comes to an end. I’ve already extended my planned one year of leisure to fourteen months and am planning … Continue reading
Harissa and Habanero
I have devoted considerable time this past week to food; I know, that’s extraordinarily surprising. Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in food-related “stuff” that I forget to document it for future reference (you know, “what was that recipe for … Continue reading
Posted in Food
10 Comments
I am Not a Foodie
Both my wife and I were seeking out unusual restaurants and opportunities to try all sorts of regional and ethic foods over 40 years ago, well before savvy marketers started driving up the prices of foods that once were under-appreciated … Continue reading
Posted in Food, Philosophy
2 Comments
Smoke Memories
When I was a child, things were different. Life was hard, but kids learned the value of hard work, ingenuity, force, and fear. My parents both worked in other states so they couldn’t take me to school. We were poor … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction
6 Comments