When I was a kid and we learned about Anne Frank or the Underground Railroad, I took it for granted that if my family had lived through a horrible time, we’d do the upstanding thing. After all, it seemed obvious: if a Jewish family needs to hide from slaughter and you have an attic, give …
I still remember the feel of string cutting into my neck. I was so proud of that aching feeling; it meant the little orange box was full of money for what I understood to be a good cause. I understood myself to be making a difference. Years ago, I trick or treated with a UNICEF …
I was driving when I received my first phone call about you. In subsequent conversations, I learned you were living in a group home meant for older boys, and the goal was to find somewhere more suitable for a child. Being at home with your mom was unfortunately not an option; among other things, you’d …
I spent the first few months of 2013 in Tanzania. For months beforehand, I’d been on a search for overseas volunteer opportunities that felt ethical. It was harder than I thought to do good things! I was mostly against being a teacher, since I had no teacher training or qualifications of any kind. I didn’t …
It’s quite something, isn’t it? To think that just recently, I was procrastinating the writing of a blog about inflation because it seemed too grim. And now. What to say about now? Let’s start with the big picture. In and beyond my circles, a great many people celebrate their good fortune to live in a democracy. …
I do not like donating blood. I would even go so far as to say I strongly dislike donating blood. And guess what? I do not have a good reason. As a kid, I didn’t know that a person’s body made blood regularly; I thought we just had the one supply our whole lives. I was amazed …
I’ve had an angry week. Some of the anger is directed at parts of day-to-day life that don’t matter much in the bigger picture. Some of the anger is resentment that’s resurfaced from situations I thought I’d already dealt with. And then there’s the outrage I’ve been feeling about bigger issues. Depending how you’re feeling these days, …
I once stayed a few months in a Tanzanian city called Mwanza. I’d spent most of a year trying to find ethical volunteer opportunities overseas. In the process, I’d learned that was a mostly-impossible task, at least for someone without relevant training/skills. That conclusion was one of the reasons I eventually pursued a master’s degree …
Without any ado, here are some examples of times I’ve been involved with police: I was pulled over for speeding and tried to joke with the officer about his last name being the same as mine. He smiled politely, wrote me a ticket, and wished me a nice day.My friends and I dressed up as …
I don’t know all of what you did, but I know you’ve done a lot. Today marks one year since I started working from home – or living at work, as I’ve come to call it. I don’t have the energy or interest to write about all of the last year, but I do find …
Maybe There's More 