Author Archives: John Swinburn

Exceptionally heavy rain pounds the roof, its sound dominating the roar of thunder. Occasional flashes of dim, distant lightning periodically illuminate the room. Twice, the background noise of wind and rain and water flowing through gutters and downspouts, though loud, … Continue reading →

I did not feel compelled to write a post yesterday morning, though late in the day I almost gave in to my self-imposed guilt at my lapse.  That irrational idea was relatively short-lived, though. But it occurred to me that … Continue reading →

I left yesterday’s church service (at Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship)—during which Peter Mayer delivered both his music and an inspirational “sermon”—feeling hopeful and optimistic. The subsequent barrage of horrifying news since then has squelched that emotional high. Another mass … Continue reading →

Last night, we attended a musical performance by Peter Mayer, well-known in Unitarian Universalist (UU) circles for both his songwriting and his voice. We learned of the event, organized and offered by the Miami Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, by accident … Continue reading →

Unbroken restlessness. An urgent sense that, because time is unforgiving, immediate action is the only reasonable choice. Delays set fire to options. Act now, I hear myself say, or regret your failure to take advantage of diminishing opportunities. But I … Continue reading →

Fresh ideas are rare. Brilliant ideas are rarer still. Yet the search for that one spectacular idea never slows; never pauses. Belief in the brain’s ability to perform magic never stalls. That same irrational confidence gives us horoscopes and reliance … Continue reading →

Isolated. Insulated. Protected against the light of day. Hidden from the sun, the sky, clouds, raindrops…whatever is “out there,” waiting to pounce. The world outside my partitioned cell is invisible. Time has been paused…but for how long? How can I … Continue reading →

Every place has its downsides: Hurricanes. Crime. Floods. Droughts. Chiggers. Humidity. Ice. Snow. Heat. Expense. Ticks. Tornadoes. Mosquitoes. Earthquakes. Homelessness. Poverty. Sinkholes. Architectural sameness. Design diversity. Neighbors. Neighborhood. Cultural dullness. Etc. What is the point of looking for the ideal … Continue reading →

If I were considerably younger and more energetic, I might put my evolving political beliefs to work by challenging the societal and cultural decay taking place in North America and, indeed, worldwide. I might endeavor to create a new form … Continue reading →

Human culture in 2023 is drowning in violence and anger and arrogance. I sometimes wallow in a parochial viewpoint of the situation, asserting that the problem is especially keen in the USA—that we are world leaders, but that our leadership … Continue reading →

I woke late, fed Phaedra, showered, shaved, got dressed, and made coffee. Now, the time is almost 7 and I am just now attempting to sort out what is on my mind. As usual, I am thinking about you. Yes, … Continue reading →

This morning, I watched a short video clip of an interview with Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. She, like some of her British counterparts, has chosen to disengage from the life of a royal, opting instead to be just another … Continue reading →

If I removed the filters that constrain my speech, people within earshot would be shocked. Awkwardness would wash over them—and me—putting a damper on casual conversations. Some people might blush. Others might be titillated. And still others might react with … Continue reading →

Time and experience nurture wisdom. Wisdom comes in cycles, each new one possessed of more profound levels of insight. That is what wisdom is, after all, isn’t it? Insight born of time and experience? As time and experience accumulate over … Continue reading →

I did not feel the need to write a blog post yesterday. So I did not. I may opt to skip a day or two or three or…whatever…more frequently in the coming weeks and months. The satisfaction I get out … Continue reading →

Oftentimes, I reveal too much here. I write as though this repository of many of my deepest and most personal thoughts is inaccessible to anyone but me. In fact, of course, anyone with access to the internet might find themselves … Continue reading →

When I write fiction, I do not create characters. As they develop, they reveal who I am. They expose me at my core. Easily wounded, quick tempered, deeply flawed, empathetic, brutally uncaring, timid, quiet, loud, terminally sad, spontaneously silly, irresponsible, … Continue reading →

A few years ago, discussions about climate change and increasing sea levels suggested that future generations will have to wrestle with coastal erosion and inundation. I remember wondering whether scientists were right about the geologically quick, but still relatively slow, … Continue reading →

Several months ago, another blogger stumbled upon my blog and left a comment. I subsequently found his blog and decided to follow it. This blogger frequently shares insights and ideas from religious texts and other writers. This morning, his post … Continue reading →

The warmth of recent days has been just a tease. Daytime highs are expected to cool to the mid-fifties by Sunday, increasing to the low to mid sixties by Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and then slipping back to … Continue reading →

Out of curiosity, I went to Fox News online this morning to read what the network would say about yesterday’s $787.5 million settlement with Dominion. Surprise. I found no mention of the settlement, which amounts to the network’s admission of … Continue reading →

Sometime later this month, we will drive to Dayton, Ohio. Unless we opt to travel the back roads—which is entirely possible—our eleven-hour trip will take us to Memphis, Nashville, Bowling Green, Louisville, and Cincinnati. Even keeping on main highways, we … Continue reading →

Be an island unto yourself. Take refuge in yourself and not in anything else. ~ Thích Nhất Hạnh ~ After reading that quote this morning, I suspect my mental wanderlust may be an unconscious expression of seeking the refuge to … Continue reading →

Once again, another new Spanish Netflix offering, The Innocent (el inocente), was on tap last night. And, once again, its cast included José Coronado, who we’ve seen in several Netflix offerings. His acting credits, which are extensive, include this small … Continue reading →

Emotions, both positive and negative, probably take a toll on both the body and the mind. The mental peaks and valleys emotions carve into one’s life experiences leave behind a kind of rubble that cannot be left behind or discarded. … Continue reading →