RAISING SELF-RELIANT CHILDREN in a Self-Indulgent World H Stephen Glenn and Jane Nelsen I found this book in a by-the-poolside library/exchange. I offer a summary and commentary below. The book’s intention is to provide a template for helping any impaired individual achieve self reliance, be they developing children or people with psychopathology or substance abuse issues.  I, for one, felt successful in this regard with my children when at twenty-five years of age, each was

When asked where I grew up, having been raised in a Navy family, I have fewer places to note than many, “Navy Juniors.” Chevy Chase, Maryland comes up last on my list. My year in Chevy Chase began while playing on the front lawn in Southern California. I was seven years old. My mother, Lethe, came out and proclaimed to me, “Your father has orders.”  Being concrete (still!) and a child of an officer, I dutifully responded, “What does he want me to do?”  I was rewarded with a s

Unusual things in the last monthj: I visited NYC for three days and witnessed  Santa Con: The boozy tradition attracts revelers from all around the New York City metro area in an all-day merry celebration, stopping at dozens of bars up and down the borough. This year's festivities kick off at 10 a.m.  I ate at a restaurant with a view of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. I experienced my first non-elective hospital admission—more on this next month Articles : From th

After the atmospheric river MOMA Moma and it matches my living room

As much as I enjoy the stimulation of international travel, it has been Kernie to not only catalyze, but sell many of our many trips to me.  Egypt had come up as a destination for maybe a decade. I deferred, suggesting alternates.  Why is that?  Egypt is in the Middle East. Enough said, right? Egypt has fought Israel multiple times and my government has stood with Israel, right or wrong. I assumed, as an American, that  I would be judged by that. I thought we would not be wel

THE BIG ONE :  OSTERHOLM This book is a bit dense with lots of detail and an, “I told you so” attitude by one of the authors who predicted hundreds of thousands of deaths in the US late Spring of the first year of Covid and was criticized by his peers for being so pessimistic…….What follows draws from the book, TWIV (this week in virology podcast), and experience. In my second year of medical school, as in all medical schools, my class studied the 1918-1919 World wide influen

There is also an Ocean View, Nebraska Been there, done that.

Books: East of the Mountains , Guterson Following the Equator  Mark Twain Shows: Slow Horses and Down Cemetery Road on Apple. Interesting as in unusual or firsts: Car wash in SD asks as you pay, no touch or touch—no touch meant  no brush rubs your car…..and not whether you touch the credit card to the glass vs insert it….. Eisenhauer, This Piece of Ground—a locally done play in San Diego. Working girls. The musical with music written by Cindi Lauper Stream:  Life NBC/Peacock

There was a time when Kernie and I did yoga regularly at the local LA Fitness. We lost our favorite yoga teacher and never matched up with a new one; Covid took care of that. Our favorite yoga teacher was a picture: “Get your yoga butts on the mat ya’ll, we are starting.” An athletic blond woman with dreadlocks to her mid back led the class in lycra outfits. Her southern accent was disarming and she had an easy going manner, telling anecdotal stories about her family as she c

Timothy Keller I read this book  for the second time since receiving it in 2017 this past month. The premise of the book, then as now,  pulled me in: an Evangelical minister sets up a church in downtown Manhattan against the advice of just about everyone. The demographics are wrong: single, liberal, self centered people working in the dynamic center of the economy that is the USA. His church proved a success. There is a lesson to be learned there! The first half of the book s

Unusual things this last month:   4 flats on one bike ride and needed a rescue. Staycation: Kernie was away 10 days I drew a pen and ink picture for the first time in a year!!!          Trumpsters in Mexico: My Spanish teacher described a suburb of Merida where a number of expatriates from the US live. They are largely fans of president Trump. They live in Mexico because their middle class retireement allows them to live well outside the USA..... Streaming:  The

:) Yeah, but who reads signs? Good Rules Can't we all?

I was a confirmed agnostic before I went through puberty. Kernie was not so lucky. Our religious traditions and upbringing were about as...

Ben and Me By Eric Weiner This book reflects on Franklin’s biography and the author contrasts what he learns with our modern world and...

UNUSUAL THINGS THIS MONTH:  Kernie rehabilitated post operatively such that she is going to Europe this month. Mark Volman died on the...

I read Ayn Rand with avidity when an adolescent. This quote from Atlas Shrugged is still memorable to me and I am reminded of it every...

The Death with Dignity law signed into effect in Washington did not seem especially relevant to my practice once enacted. I was at best,...

Canada is Killing Itself Elaina Plott Calabro Article from The Atlantic, September 2025 This article turned me on my head. The first...

Unusual things for me this August . We survived a major surgery with all testing going our way! We saw the Book of Mormon for the first...

This strikes me as AI generated but it is inspiring Yep!