Given the daily and sometimes hourly apocalyptic news happening (fall, 2019) these days, it’s almost comforting to think back to simpler times.  My journey out of christian faith had lots of steps, some more significant than others.  I’ve already written about...

When I was in college, a white friend and I were talking about our families, telling stories and sharing insights into the things that made us who we were.  I think it was part of a leadership retreat or something.  I talked about my great-uncles who joined the US Army...

Prominent evangelical leaders and celebrities seem to be raining down from the heavens, announcing they are no longer Christians.  Pastors, worship leaders, rock stars, celebrities, and writers. The fallout has been predictably chaotic with many people on my timelines...

Preface

If we’re honest with ourselves, there are countless reasons for a parent to be mad in every sense of the word.  Whether due to loss of sleep, hopes, dreams, or sex, to mind-numbing routines of feedings, rides to school, practices, or rehearsals, “madness” as an...

There’s a scene at the end of the movie, A Beautiful Mind, where John Nash, having found a way to deal with the people his mind has created, looks across the street to see his self-made characters casually, if sheepishly, following him.  They no longer have the influen...

As the debate rages about what went down at the nation’s capital this past weekend between Nathan Phillips and his Native American activist group and the MAGA-hatted white boys, I have noticed one thing all people of color in America understand that most white American...

A lawyer gets labeled a troublemaker because she gives her opinion and asks questions.  A professor gets ousted from her department for having too many opinions.  I once got written up by a university librarian as being “out of control” and “aggressive” because I was s...

Old guy music rant.  This one should annoy everyone.  Including me.

My friends hate it when I make fun of some commercial hip hop and let my music nerd/snob flag fly. No matter how much I express my deep love for the likes of James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Stevie Won...

Blog update: After starting off the year writing regularly here, I regained the rhythm and momentum to return to finishing my book about APU and my loss of faith.  I'll now be posting here once in a while as thoughts pop into my head, seldom as that is.

When Keiko told...

I wrote this little rant this morning on Facebook:

I'm losing faith in education. While I always believe the liberal arts is the only hope for saving society,I don't see how it helps anyone in this capitalist system succeed. Teachers are poorly compensated for the amou...

Day 14- Sunday, July 9

It was our 23rd wedding anniversary.  Of course we forgot about it until we boarded our flight that afternoon.  We spent the morning packing up our suitcases for the last time and cleaning up the apartment.  It had been a nice 4 days and 4 nights...

Day 13, Saturday, July 8

On our last full day, we were determined to get to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market, said to be the largest fish market in the world.  We cattleprodded the children up earlier and were able to get out the door at around 9:30.  It took about 45 min...

Day 10 Wed, July 5

I forgot to mention the mixed feelings I had on July 4.  I woke that morning to the realization that it was still July 3 in America, so I had a head start on processing.  So much about America sucks.  And while I was quick to proclaim my Japanese-ness...

Day 9- Tuesday, July 4

We made a deliberate choice to bring the kids with us on our dream Japan vacation.  My parents were skeptical.  Some friends wondered if it was a good idea.  But we did it, and while it would have been a much smoother, far-ranging trip without the...

Day 7 (technically the 8th day in Japan) Sunday, July 2

Our feet and legs were aching when we woke up.  According to our Steps trackers, we had been walking 8-10 miles a day for the past few days.  Fortunately, right across the street was the Tenzoan Marketplace.  We we...