Category Archives: Philosophy

The Legacies of Bigotry

Posted on March 22, 2013 by John Swinburn

As I watched the video presented below, I was struck by the fact that there have been so very many lives lost and ruined by bigotry in all its many forms. Stop, think what bigotry means: big·ot·ry /ˈbɪgətri/ noun, plural … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Secular morality, Wisdom | Leave a comment

A Breather

Posted on March 17, 2013 by John Swinburn

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

Questions with no Answers

Posted on February 28, 2013 by John Swinburn

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 →

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I am Not a Foodie

Posted on January 19, 2013 by John Swinburn

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

Starting

Posted on January 2, 2013 by John Swinburn

  Regardless of your age, the likelihood is very high that you still have time.  Time to do something you have always wanted to do but just haven’t done yet. Time to discover what you really want to do but … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Philosophy | 2 Comments

Respect New Year Resolutions

Posted on January 1, 2013 by John Swinburn

The beginning of a new year is an interesting time.  Some people see the new year as just another day.  Others view it as symbolic of a new beginning, a fresh start.  Some of that latter group establish goals they hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Philosophy, Resolutions, Wisdom | Leave a comment

Early Morning Thoughts

Posted on December 29, 2012 by John Swinburn

It’s just after 5:00 a.m.  After taking my turn at a few rounds of various word games, I ate a very small breakfast of oatmeal left over from a day or two ago, then finished washing last night’s dinner dishes, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Wisdom | 2 Comments

The Lost Year, Found

Posted on December 28, 2012 by John Swinburn

This year, 2012, hasn’t turned out quite the way I envisioned.  Though I don’t regret spending my time as I have these past twelve months, the year wasn’t what I pictured when it started.  I didn’t completely rekindle my entrepreneurial … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Love, Memories, Philosophy | Leave a comment

Secular Christmas Gifts and Greetings

Posted on December 25, 2012 by John Swinburn

Christmas Day, 2012.  Thus far, eight hours and forty-two minutes in, it has been unremarkable. Santa Claus did not visit overnight, nor did we expect him.  My wife and I cast the old man out a few years ago, directing … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Wisdom | 2 Comments

The Bonds of Friendship

Posted on December 24, 2012 by John Swinburn

An old friend, a friend with whom I’ve lost touch over the years, died last Friday.  I know nothing of the manner of his death, only that he died.  A message about his death, from a friend of a friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Friendship, Philosophy | 1 Comment

Escape

Posted on December 15, 2012 by John Swinburn

Yesterday, a shooting in a Connecticut school claimed the lives of 20 children and 6 adults.  I cannot fully process that.  I know I never will.  I choose not to write any more, at least not today, about how I feel … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Love, Philosophy | 1 Comment

Perception

Posted on December 11, 2012 by John Swinburn

I walk outside and the cold air takes my breath away.  The biting wind ignores my sweatshirt and tears at me as I make that horrible transition from warm serenity to frigid chaos.  At that instant, when warmth  is stripped … Continue reading →

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Practical Jokes

Posted on December 10, 2012 by John Swinburn

I awoke this morning just after 4:00 a.m.  The blanket and comforter that made the bed snug and comfortable when I went to bed had grown heavy and overly-warm.  I decided to start the day early. The first thing I … Continue reading →

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When the Time is Right

Posted on December 7, 2012 by John Swinburn

It has been more than a week since I’ve posted anything here.  I have good reasons.  But, to avoid giving the mistaken impression that I’m done with this blog, I decided to write this brief note.  The message: I will … Continue reading →

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Exercises in Wonder: What If?

Posted on November 28, 2012 by John Swinburn

Many years ago, sometime in the early 1980s, I think, I was enamored of a film called Overdrawn at the Memory Bank,which starred Raúl Julia in the character of Aram Fingal, a programmer for NoviCorp, a global corporation that shared … Continue reading →

Posted in Dreams, Philosophy, Wisdom | 1 Comment

Mood Altering Experiences

Posted on November 18, 2012 by John Swinburn

I’m sometimes surprised at the extent to which my mood can change, sometimes dramatically, in response to external stimuli.  My outlook can plummet toward depression if I read a news article, for example, that reports a beating victim’s cries for … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Philosophy, Wisdom | 3 Comments

The Appeal of a Buddhist Framework.

Posted on November 16, 2012 by John Swinburn

Some people consider Buddhism a religion.  I don’t.  I consider Buddism a perspective or a contextual reference, a  framework within which one can try to understand one’s relationship with the world in which one lives. I’ve struggled to understand why … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Religion | 2 Comments

An Evolving Political Manifesto

Posted on October 29, 2012 by John Swinburn

I have repeatedly expressed my support for President Obama’s election…again.  I have spoken against the possibility of a Romney White House.  I have encouraged…and still do encourage…people to vote to return Obama to the Presidency. You’d think I was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics | 2 Comments

More on Religion

Posted on October 28, 2012 by John Swinburn

I have an acquaintance who’s an Episcopalian.  I know this because he frequently comments about his faith on his Facebook page.  He makes no bones about his faith, but neither does he condemn people of other faiths or those who … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Religion, Secular morality | 2 Comments

Lost and Angry

Posted on October 26, 2012 by John Swinburn

Every time I get away from the city, I take a risk.  I risk overwhelming sensations of longing for a life close to the land.  It’s cliché, but it’s real.  I want so badly to feel connected to the earth, … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Wisdom | 1 Comment

Random Thoughts

Posted on October 23, 2012 by John Swinburn

Fashion Models It occurred to me before but as I was skimming an old copy of D Magazine it struck me again.  Young female fashion models who have their photos taken wearing haute couture, whether  bikinis and impossibly tall spiked heels … Continue reading →

Posted in Dreams, Philosophy, Politics, Wisdom | 1 Comment

Another Year Older

Posted on October 21, 2012 by John Swinburn

Birthdays used to excite passion.  They were occasions to mark progress toward some desirable future, some as yet unclaimed state of affairs, that would be better than today. This murky, never-articulated premise for celebrating birthdays was never clear, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Philosophy | 3 Comments

An Enlightening Perspective

Posted on October 19, 2012 by John Swinburn

On occasion, I relearn something I’ve long since learned and lost. Sometimes when that happens, I’m struck by the fact that I’ve allowed myself to forget something so pleasing, so enlightening.  This morning was one of those occasions.  It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Wisdom | Leave a comment

Improper perspective, rectified

Posted on October 16, 2012 by John Swinburn

I dropped the aging Camry with the mechanic at about 8:45 this morning.  I had decided to walk back home, rather than take the bus, because I hadn’t taken my normal walk this morning.  And I needed to do some … Continue reading →

Posted in Cars, Philosophy, Walking | 1 Comment

Observation

Posted on October 5, 2012 by John Swinburn

The sounds of Pacific Ocean waves pounding against the shore are extraordinary.  Massive crashing thuds remove any misconception that humans control this planet.  We are powerless.  We can only sit and observe in righteous awe.

Posted in Mexico, Philosophy | 2 Comments