Five Songs to Welcome Spring*
Sean Murphy(*Even though we are supposed to get snow tomorrow!) The incomparable John Fahey with the appropriately titled "When The Springtime Comes Again": Janácek's String Quartet "Intimate Letters", 3rd Movement: John…
The Problem With the Homeless Problem*
Who was he? I think the same question each time I see him (every day: the same man in the same spot, holding the same sign that tells everyone who…
Russell Brand, Revolution and The Audacity of Apathy
FIRST OFF, LET’S dispense with decorum and declare the obvious: Russell Brand is brilliant, and quite possibly a genius. In addition to his comedic and acting abilities, he is a…
For My Mother on Her 70th Birthday
I’m scared, I said. “It’s okay,” she said. “You know I’ll never leave you, right? I would never leave this place without you.” How many times did she tell me…
David Brooks: Nothing To See Here
I find Brooks to be a shallow, self-aggrandizing bootlicker of the first order. Clueless as an Ayn Rand reader, culpable as a clergyman, and haughty as a wealthy heir. HERE he…
Ten Songs That Never Fail
With the emotional baggage associated with things like Mother's Day and my birthday, it's nice --and necessary-- to step back and fully appreciate my family and friends. This was my…
A Day To Remember; A Life To Celebrate
August 30, 2002* Everything that is good about me is because of my mother. Fortunately, I was able to convey this simple truth many times in my adult life, but…
Bob Marley: 68 Years and Going Strong
Bob Marley was born February 6, 1945, which means he would be turning 68 today. A few years back I chose what I consider five reggae albums that are lesser known,…
The Problem With the Homeless Problem (Revisited)
Who was he? I think the same question each time I see him (every day: the same man in the same spot, holding the same sign that tells everyone who…
Finding Grace in Beautiful Places (Revisited)
In a piece I recommend you reading @ the reliably awesome Rumpus, writer Amber Sparks, a non-believer, discusses matters of faith, spirituality and art (check it here). The piece is…