To all our Associates: Herewith, we list some commonly used polite phrases to assist our public relations, political consulting, healthcare and customer service associates. It's crucially important that you understand their precise import. They
Good Trouble
1 I've witnessed with anxiety the outpouring of emotions surrounding the protests after George Floyd's death and the re-arousal of the Black Lives Matter movement. I confess I've found myself thinking, why can't you put all that anger aside, however
The King and the Dutchman
In some eras, lies of omission and commission are matters of career and even personal survival: the Spanish inquisition, communist and fascist totalitarianism, America's McCarthy era, today's Iran or Saudi Arabia. And now today's America, where fear
Twilight of the Dystopians
A breeze insinuates itself through open windows into a warm living room while, on the stereo, Anne Sofie von Otter sings Robert Schumann's song cycle, Frauenliebe und Leben (A Woman’s Life and Love). Schumann (1810-1856) set the eight songs, more
Empathy
Thursday evening two weeks ago, I had an upsetting experience with my writers' group. No one said anything deliberately hurtful, and there was no horrible argument. The members are generous in spirit and with their constructive comments. I didn't
Advice: A Story
Ever noticed how we can't complain without giving each other advice? "The way I'm eating in this pandemic, I'm going to turn into a beached whale." — Don't you exercise? — "Like I told you, I have a stationary bike." — Oh right, what you