Category: reflections

  • Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Happy Valentine’s Day! Boy, are you guys lucky! I woke up yesterday morning with the crazy idea of making a video of me singing “L-O-V-E.” You know, the one Nat King Cole made famous. What do you mean, “No, what are you talking about?” No kidding, though; I even cleared my throat a couple of…

  • Our Impressions of University of Iowa Free Webinar Yesterday: The Stories That Define Us”

    Our Impressions of University of Iowa Free Webinar Yesterday: The Stories That Define Us”

    We were overall delighted with yesterday’s presentation, University of Iowa Free Webinar: “Breaking Barriers: Arts, Athletics, and Medicine (1898-1947).” It’s one in a series of 4 virtual seminars with two more scheduled this month, which you can register for at this link. February 15: Endless Innovation: An R1 Research Institution (1948–1997) February 22: The Next…

  • Thoughts So Far on “To Kill a Mockingbird”

    Thoughts So Far on “To Kill a Mockingbird”

    I am just getting started reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. As I said in a previous post, I can’t remember ever reading it, but I saw the movie (or most of it). I have seen news reports that some schoolteachers are opposed to keeping the title on required reading lists. I just…

  • Links to Ozymandias

    Links to Ozymandias

    Sena and I took a walk down Scott Boulevard today. The weather was practically balmy, compared to how cold it has been. Forty degrees above zero compared to 9 degrees below feels miraculous. We walked past the Harvest Preserve entry. Across the street is what we’ve just learned is an old building that is known…

  • Return to the Sun Room

    Return to the Sun Room

    We have a sun room again. We moved into this house a little over a year and half ago. It has taken a little time to get it comfy. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sitting in there on Friday nights listening to the KCCK Jazz Radio ‘da Friday Blues show hosted by…

  • Celebrate Black History Month

    Celebrate Black History Month

    February is Black History Month. Celebrate it with respect for one another.

  • An Old Dog’s Approach to Replacing Electrical Outlets and Other Thoughts

    An Old Dog’s Approach to Replacing Electrical Outlets and Other Thoughts

    Since retirement, I’ve been very gradually casting about for another identity now that I’ve given up my professional identity. It doesn’t come naturally. I’m definitely not a handyman, although I’ve been learning a few skills. For some reason, a large number of our electrical outlets didn’t hold power cords tightly enough. They were either cheap…

  • Retiree Musings

    Retiree Musings

    I’ve just discovered a web site that calculates the time that has passed since an event occurred. So, it calculated that I’ve been retired for 19 months—or 580 days, or 13,909 hours and so on. But I’m not counting. What has been happening since then? I’ve had the usual problems with letting go of my…

  • Brief Reflections on N95 Masks

    Brief Reflections on N95 Masks

    The free N95 masks are here. It’s 3M Model Aura 9205+and they’re available in many stores, including Hy-Vee and Walgreens. I occasionally failed the fit test using this type of mask when I was working at the hospital; however, you can still get a pretty effective seal to make it protective in the community (see…

  • Journey to the Center of the Snore

    Journey to the Center of the Snore

    Sena and I snore. There, I said it. We’ve been snoring for years. It’s been getting a little worse for a while now and we’re finally exploring ways to deal with it. I snore by puffing out my cheeks and blowing, and Sena snores by blowing the pictures off the walls. The separate bedrooms option…