We have a dog named Ben, although I sometimes think of him as Agent Smith because he so closely resembles a Secret Service agent in the way he shadows my wife, Ana. From room to room, bedroom to kitchen, day or night — whatever task Ana is involved in, you will find...
I just read a news piece about yet another man removed from office because he’d been found abusing his authority. This one happened to be a university chancellor, but he could as easily have been a CEO or general, church leader or congressman. The names and titles and...
When my mom was a teenager, she decided she wanted to play in the high school orchestra. She went to the music director and asked if she could join. He said, “What do you play?” She, bright and chipper, replied, “What do you need?” He paused, looked at her, and told...
One day, when I was very young, I was upstairs playing in my room when I heard my mother’s car drive off. She was heading out on a shopping trip. I ran downstairs and shouted out for her to Wait up! but she was already gone. I burst into tears. My father heard me...
As I wrote last week, I love to read great mysteries, in part for the language. One of my favorites is Raymond Chandler, author of the iconic Philip Marlowe novels. Raymond Chandler isn’t just influential. To writers, he’s a god. Every modern antihero, from Harry...
