The ornery ramblings and occasional fiction of a former political science professor turned author
What does it mean to tolerate something? What do we mean when we say that tolerance is something to strive for? People are fond of saying that they have no tolerance for intolerance. But according to the definition of the word, they therefore are intolerant, regardless of the targeted nature of their intolerance.
Continue reading “Tolerance”
It’s been busy, busy around here. Packing up the house, trying to write and work in between; husband has strained his back and we both have colds. We’re quite a pair. Hectic and a bit stressful. I really wish I could be Samantha in Bewitched and just wiggle my nose and have everything take care of itself. I don’t put moving into the category of “do it yourself and get a sense of accomplishment.” No, I just have a sense of tiredness…
Continue reading “House Dragons”
In honor of Veteran’s Day I am sharing my father’s essay, One Among Millions. He wrote this in 2011 at the request of a committee or group at the independent living community where he and my mom lived. My father was part of a long line of military veterans in his family, all of whom believed they owed their country their service. My father passed away in 2013 and I miss him terribly, but every time I read this I can hear his voice. I hope this essay resonates with you as it does with me. The photo above is dad in Saigon in 1966.
Continue reading “One Among Millions”
So…we are moving to Texas in a few weeks. We haven’t moved anywhere, not even within the Philadelphia environs, for almost twenty years. This is going to be quite the adventure. It’s been stressful too, and I haven’t been writing. I need to get back to the writing since that’s the only way I’ll manage to finish book #3. My plan is to alternate packing and writing for the next couple of weeks. If I can finish the first draft, I can then do editing which, for me, is a lot easier. Then, send it off to beta readers before the final push of packing and moving.
Continue reading “Moving Forward”
Sanderley Studios are proud to present two upcoming publications. We’ve been hard at work on them, and it’s finally time to start showing off what’s been happening behind the scen…
Source: Coming Soon!
Those who style themselves leaders of the left have demonstrated that they believe their opponents are incredibly stupid. Like really, really, knuckle-dragging, rage-driven Jethro Clampett levels of stupid. One of the recent stunts meant to enrage left-leaning voters and humiliate and vilify right-leaning voters was the creation of “white supremacists” declaring their support for Glenn Youngkin, winner of Virginia’s governor election this week. In case you missed it, he ran against Clinton sycophant Terry McAuliffe. And McAuliffe has not yet met a level so low he won’t go down to check it out.
Continue reading “They Think You’re Stupid”
This post is me putting on my ornery professor hat for a bit. Please note, some of this will be a quick and dirty run-down and missing many details. If, for some unknown reason, you feel compelled to go and dig through all the academic literature, I am happy to point you in that direction. I am NOT going to go into those details her and now. This is the “I’m explaining this to Aunt Martha at Thanksgiving” version.
Continue reading “Hard Power vs. Soft Power”
I missed my prompt for last week and didn’t get one sent in on time so I’ve picked up one of the spares this week. It’s was an interesting week and I will have more information to share in a few days. It’s exciting and good, but stressful as well and my writing has suffered (well, it’s disappeared) because of that stress. But, I think I have a handle on things now, and I’m back to writing.
Continue reading “Arcane Veterinary Care”
A late entry for Week 40 here in 2021 of More Odds Than Ends prompts. Been an interesting week. Stressful, insightful, decision-filled, yet without forward motion. At least the writing is going forward. This is just a bit of flash fiction that is a day late, but I hope not a dollar short.
Continue reading “Antiques”
This report is maybe 12 years old. Parliament buried it, and it stayed buried ’til River dug it up.
This is what they feared she knew. And they were right to fear ’cause there’s a whole universe of folk who’re gonna know it, too. They’re gonna see it.
Somebody has to speak for these people.
Y‘all got on this boat for different reasons, but y’all come to the same place. So now I’m askin’ more of you than I have before. Maybe all.
As sure as I know anything, I know this: They will try again. Maybe on another world. Maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, 10, they’ll swing back to the belief that they can make people…better. And I do not hold to that.
So no more runnin’.
I aim to misbehave.
– Mal Reynolds, Captain, Spaceboat Serenity
Continue reading “I Aim to Misbehave”