By John RC Potter There are people one meets during one’s lifetime who are larger-than-life: the expression, ‘real characters’ comes to mind, the kind who could have sprung from the pages of a delightful book. I had the great fortune to meet an endearing ‘character’ decades ago, when I moved into a charming red-brick building … Continue reading It’s A Great Life If You Don’t Weaken
Community Attic
By Penny Nolte I climb concrete steps gripping the rusty iron railing, smiling when I find Dad’s note pinned to the door. “We’re out on a call now, but come in! Feel free to look around.” His phone number is shared at the bottom just in case other visitors happen to drop by. Pushing the heavy … Continue reading Community Attic
The Nevada Side
By Miranda R. Carter For some time, in an earlier America, the Sierra Nevada Mountains were viewed as the final brutal barrier to the American Dream, the skeleton key to the West. Though today’s modern passes—Carson, Spooner, etc.—are tightly wound, rimming a shale skyline, they are contrastingly travelable trails from the blue corazón of Lake … Continue reading The Nevada Side
Humidity
By Zary Fekete In July the air was thick enough to push back. You and I stood in it, early, before the sun arrived like a loud, brash fire. At dawn the corn leaves were still wet and sharp at the edges. Our shirts soaked through in a quiet, even kind of way…cold at first … Continue reading Humidity
Brighton Beach Daydreams
By Maria Odessky Rosen The usually pure solid tones of Deep Forest are adulterated in this 13th floor apartment of the Trump Village projects in Brighton Beach. The music is polluted, and so are my thoughts. The lyrics of “Martha’s Song” are distorted by the cacophonous clattering of a passing D train. I push in … Continue reading Brighton Beach Daydreams
Summer Horizon
By Daniel de Culla Isabel's Photo In view of this Isabel G. de Diego’s beautiful image , one feels awestruck by that horizon of light that seeks to overcome the approaching darkness. There are stormy clouds in the cottony souls of the sky that shine like the loves and heartbreaks foretold by horoscopes in celebrity … Continue reading Summer Horizon
The Hero Is The Problem
By Mary Murray Bartolomé The stories I read as a child were filled with heroes, but now I’m not so sure. They were tales, ancient and folkloric, of a singular strong man (yes, man) who bravely challenged his antagonisers; a man fearless beyond reason, who either alone or with paltry aid, became victorious; a man … Continue reading The Hero Is The Problem
Library Collections
By Benedicte Grima When I walk into a house, the first thing my eyes tune into is the presence or absence of books. I am immediately unsettled by the invisible volumes, and the space seems stark, lifeless. When I watch speakers on television talk from their homes and offices, I scour the bookshelves behind them, … Continue reading Library Collections
Every Münchner Knows
By Rhea Karty Every Münchner knows that on Sundays, as you stroll down Theresienstraße, it's wise to keep your head down and your money tucked away. Yet, all too often, the dazzling spectacle of jams, honey, paintings, postcards, books, and the intoxicating scents sailing from succulent foods prove too potent—too enticing to simply pass by. … Continue reading Every Münchner Knows
Sun Tzu and Entertainment: Dennis the Menace’s Garden Party
By Andrew Nickerson In military tactics/strategy, many names have risen to prominence, only to fall later. However, one name has remained prominent for millennia: Sun Tzu, ancient general/tactician/strategist and author of The Art of War. This masterpiece has been venerated by everyone from students to teachers to historians, not just for its commonsense approach to … Continue reading Sun Tzu and Entertainment: Dennis the Menace’s Garden Party
Academy of the Heart And Mind 