My wife, Shelly, and I have been going through the Bible this year. We have an app that reads it a few chapters aloud each day. Then we listen to a quick commentary that helps us make sense of what we have just heard. Right now, we are entering the book of I Samuel. They … More A Writer in the Wilderness
When my son was involved in a car accident 20 years ago and suffered a traumatic brain injury, I learned a bit about the brain and how it works, mostly through talking with doctors. They often refer to the brain as a “black box,” meaning that whenever there’s an accident, they really don’t know what’s … More When There’s Nothing To Say
Life is what happens while you’re making other plans. — John Lennon There’s the dreamer’s view of the writer’s life: the writer wakes up about nine-ish, gets some coffee and sits down to write. After a day of literary masterful material flowing magically from his or her laptop, he wanders off to spend time in … More Life, or Something Like It
1988. I’m a graduate assistant, teaching my first class at California State University, Chico, and I’m petrified. I wait out in the hallway as the students file into the classroom, afraid to look them in the eye. Then when class is about to begin, I go in, sit down at the desk in the front, … More School’s Out…Forever
As I have mentioned earlier in this blog, I retire at the end of this school year. I have mixed feelings about leaving teaching after 23 years in the classroom. Some things I won’t miss, such as committee meetings, office politics and dealing with students who really, really don’t want to learn or just want … More What I Will Miss: The Rough Writers
I just sent in an email. It was addressed to our person in charge of HR, our university president, our academic dean, and my department chair. In it, I officially announced my retirement as of June 30, 2021. I know it’s still early, but I hate leaving things unresolved. And the indecision has been driving … More The E-mail
Yesterday we had the first day of Colloquium, our official meetings to signal the beginning of the school year for our university. And I started my 23rd year of teaching at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. It will also, for all intents and purposes, be my last year of teaching. Unless the unforeseen happens, … More The Last Year
“No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” —Helmuth von Moltke the Elder I’m a lifelong fan of the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. And for those who have followed the NFL for the past two decades, our team has seen better days. One of the comments I get used to hearing after a loss is: … More Great Ideas, Poorly Executed
It’s amazing how much of my life is motivated by guilt. When I’m not writing, I feel guilty for not doing so. Then when I start writing, I usually get obsessive about it, and I neglect something else, like getting ready for classes, which start here in four weeks, which makes me feel guilty again. … More Still Alive. Still Kicking. Still Writing.
This is graduation weekend, and this morning I sat on the stage, looking out on students I have been teaching (and trying to teach) for the past four years, as well as their parents. In addition, I am bumping into recent graduates who are here because younger siblings are finally getting their diplomas. Some are … More It’s Not About How Good You Are
The Great Adventure 