Solitary road trips are always a time for reflection. But when the purpose of the trip is to see a beloved sister for what seems likely to be the last time, reflection turns easily to regret. Today I covered about 700 miles under a low sky the same color as the pavement, the dun fields on either side wheeling by like the gears of time. If there’s […]
Free coffee in the free world
Here in Wichita, the lines started forming as soon as the polls opened, so it’s probably going to be a long day for those poor election officials. I’ll just laugh when I drive by on my way to claim my free Starbucks coffee and free Krispy Kreme donut. I laughed at the wife too, when she suggested we stand in line to vote early last week, but […]
I have done my civic duty
Today I voted. It was remarkable for two reasons: It’s the first time I’ve voted anything close to a straight Democratic ticket, and it’s the first time I’ve voted in a presidential election when it wasn’t the first Tuesday of November. Let’s hope I don’t have to do anything so radical again. It was a beautiful day here in Wichita, Oct. 28 and the lines were snaking […]
Wall Street and Willa Cather
I’ve been reading My Antonia, Willa Cather’s 1918 novel about growing up on the Nebraska prairie. It’s a beautiful book, poignant and uplifting, full of characters who reflect the truth of life in all its joy and pain. It’s also an instructive portrait of the time in America when explicit toil was required for mere survival, never mind success. I’ve been reading it against the background noise […]
A farewell to copy
On Friday I walked out of a newspaper building as an employee for the last time. During the stroll to the far end of the parking lot, I did a brief review of my career. Here’s the high point: I’ve worked at newspapers that have won Pulitzer prizes. And the low point: None of those Pulitzers were won while I was working at the newspapers in question. […]
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