My Annual New Year’s Eve Message
Sean MurphyAs always, it’s a hell of a lot easier to keep these things in perspective by considering the (increasing) number of our brothers and sisters who are struggling just to…
2012: Time To Die (Part Two)
2012: In pace requiescat! Theme video for this annual series (especially instructive for those not familiar with the title or the photo, above): 5/8/12: This is a tough one for…
2012: Time To Die (Part One)
2012: In pace requiescat! Theme video for this annual series (especially instructive for those not familiar with the title or the photo, above): 2/2/12: This hurts. A genuine American icon…
The Narrow Path: A Tone Poem for Christmas
You are alone. You are back in the city and you are alone as you emerge into the open and empty space, stepping out from the stale depths of the…
Pas de deux: Outside the Text*
“Il n’y a pas de hors-texte” --Jacques Derrida An elderly man, thinking about nothing in particular, walks casually down the Champs Elysees, as he has done countless times, on…
Deconstructing the Theory Generation
I spent some time this morning reading (well, skimming) a mostly fascinating piece from n + 1 magazine. The author is Nicholas Dames and the essay is entitled "The Theory…
About Miracles*
(2002) i. Believing in miracles requires faith. Faith in miracles, faith in faith. The bible, taken on faith, is God’s word and the document of His work. Miracles are, for…
Q & A*
Question: What would you do differently? Answer: Nothing. True answer: Everything. Truest answer: I don’t know. *** If the death of a loved one provides the ultimate answer it also…
Ars Moriendi, Part Three: Ordinary Angels*
Parts One and Two considered the "before" and "during" of end-of-life care (and once again, Bill Keller's piece is recommended reading: check it here), and the final sections of my memoir deal with…
Ars Moriendi, Part Two: Hippocrates and Hypocrites*
Part One considered the "before" of end-of-life care (and once again, Bill Keller's piece is recommended reading: check it here), and this excerpt (from Keller, then me) deals with the…