Every Christmas, Lancaster’s baseball team holds something they call “Christmas Tree Lane,” a display of decorated trees on the stadium concourse. There’s also a drive-through Christmas lights display on the field. I went tonight, even though it was bitterly cold and hellishly windy — temperature of 26 degrees right now, with a wind chill ofContinue reading “Christmas Tree Lane”
We Four Kings
“We four kings of Orient are…” Little did the fourth magus know that what the Baby Jesus really wanted was LEGO Rivendell. His failure to read the proper signs in the stars is why he has been relegated to non-canonical, apocryphal writings for two thousand years that were only accepted by a sect declared hereticalContinue reading “We Four Kings”
A Letter to My Congressman
Last night, much as Hitler had Joachim von Ribbentrop deliver an ultimatum to Poland before the September 1, 1939 invasion, Donald Trump delivered his own ultimatum to Venezuela. I was moved to write my Congressman, Lloyd Smucker. No state of war exists between the United States and Venezuela. There is no causus belli, no legalContinue reading “A Letter to My Congressman”
Updates from Social Media
What follows are a series of social media posts from the past several days relating to my mom’s hospitalization and death. The artwork I use may not match exactly what I used on social media, but it’s similar, and in one case there’s more. From Facebook. Friday, December 12, 10:30 PM. Saying goodbye to myContinue reading “Updates from Social Media”
Mommy
My mom, Leona Gibson, passed away on December 14, 2025. Some thoughts on someone who was part of my life for all of it.
Last Night’s Sunset
In the shadow of sorrow — a dying loved one — there is beauty and a reminder that, as the Sleeping at Last song “Saturn” puts it, “The universe was made to be seen by your eyes.” (Or something like that. I’m not going to look up the lyrics. They hurt too much.) Picture takenContinue reading “Last Night’s Sunset”
Reflections Upon a LinkedIn Post
I wrote a LinkedIn post. I feel dirty. I’m a writer. I value words. I value meaning. I value connection. LinkedIn is devoid of all that. The LinkedIn style is short sentences, toxic positivity, endless and unexpected life and career lessons, relentless brand building. Personality is discouraged. Paragraphs of more than a sentence or twoContinue reading “Reflections Upon a LinkedIn Post”
Land of Confusion
Six years ago, when I was in the ICU — vision melting, suspicion of a stroke, all that jazz — I took the cognitive tests that Donald Trump likes to brag about. That was part of the stroke protocol, along with various motor tests. I was happy when, after the second day, I didn’t haveContinue reading “Land of Confusion”
Scenes from the Occupation
I was in Washington on Sunday. Congressional Cemetery was having a winter fair, and as I hadn’t been to Congressional Cemetery to visit my family there this year, this seemed like the right time to go. I love Washington. My mom said many years ago that I should live there… and I should! I justContinue reading “Scenes from the Occupation”
Memories of Long Ago
From time to time I think about two customers from my long-ago EB Games days. There was a man named Malcolm who came in the store on the weekends with his son, aged around 10. (I cannot remember the son’s name, but it might’ve been David. That’s what I’ll use going forward, but it mightContinue reading “Memories of Long Ago”