Odds and Ends

  • Passing on the Past

    I am unapologetically sentimental, a hopeless romantic, and a novelist. That is what’s otherwise known as the trifecta for those who look fondly upon the past. History is romantic, a period one can embellish; it possesses “lure” and “lore;” its poetry and myth become elegant over time. The future can be inspiring and bright, but…

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  • Virtue by Virtue We Build

    What’s the greatest gift one could bestow upon another? I could be quite succinct with this one: RESPONSIBILITY. In learning responsibility two things transpire: we grasp the value of what it means to be trustworthy and, as a result, gain confidence we can tackle obstacles the world and its wearing influences will throw our way.…

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  • I am plagued with enough arrogance to think I can solve intellectual problems. Unfortunately, my miserly endowment of intelligence, often times, strands me with more questions than answers. Lately, I’ve spent time wrestling with the concept of value, in what domain value is grounded, and its determining factors. So, if you wouldn’t mind migrating over…

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  • Gone But Not Forgotten

    My mother made her departure in 1992. I was just thirty. Funny thing about doomed cancer sufferers: we tend to mourn them while they are still living, agonizing through the disease’s progressions. I did not shed a single tear at her funeral. The year was 2008; I was rummaging through a basement closet, a place…

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  • Never Surrender your Agency

    Please indulge me with a yarn sure to resonate like a fable. It involves a string and a kite. A kite without a string is bursting with ambition but aimless; it wants to go everywhere and do everything; it is analogous to a three-year-old in a grocery store clamoring for pop tarts, Yoo Hoo, and…

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  • The seasons are equal in length, or so says the calendar. So why does winter seem so much longer? Why does this bleakest of the four seasons seem so stubborn to yield to its well-anticipated successor? Winter makes me think of the line from A Christmas Carol: Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it. Indeed,…

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  • You Made a Quiche outa What?

    Yep, that’s right; I made a quiche out of rutabaga. Been doing it for years, and it couldn’t be simpler. The ingredients are as follows: One rutabaga – one green pepper – one Vidalia Onion – fresh dill – salt – black pepper – lemon juice – butter (I use Smart Balance) – eggs. The…

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  • Men and women are equal, but they are not the same. Yeah, I know. To put those words in print could place one in a political minefield from which they may never successfully tiptoe. Nevertheless, for the sake of this post, I shall bypass the postmodern view and keep to the lane of objective reality.…

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  • A True Autumnal Delight!

    Pumpkin and Leek Soup This autumnal delight will spice up your season! Moreover, it couldn’t be simpler to make. There are few ingredients, and the process is a breeze! The Ingredients: Two 29-ounce cans of pumpkin * Two 48-ounce cans of chicken broth * Three leeks * One Vidalia onion * Three Serrano peppers *…

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  • Hey, you; we’re over here!

    You heard them: Don’t just thoughtlessly stroll past those parsnips because it isn’t the week for chicken soup. Stop, look them over, and grab a few. There are plenty of nifty ways to prepare parsnips. For example, peel and dice them. Then it’s off to the steam pot. When soft enough to puree, whip them…

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