Monthly Archives: February 2019

Alba Derek Walcott Dawn breaking as I woke, With the white sweat of the dew On the green, new grass. I walked in the cold, quiet as If the world were beginning; Peeling and eating a chilled tangerine. I may … Continue reading →

“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”   Henry Ford “If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.“   Ralph W. Emerson Wow, mentioning Henry Ford and Ralph Waldo Emerson … Continue reading →

Who better to help us celebrate Valentine’s Day than Shakespeare? Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments; love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove O, no, … Continue reading →

Whoops! Yesterday was Abraham Lincoln’s official birthday — missed the boat there. I’m sure Honest  Abe doesn’t mind an honest mistake — he made his share of them I’m sure. And he also had his share of setbacks.  We’ve all … Continue reading →

When I read the great playwright Thornton Wilder’s preface to 3 Plays, a collection of his works which includes his classic, Our Town, I knew I wanted to share some of it: “The response we make when we ‘believe’ a … Continue reading →

A story: When all the architects and “bean counters” were devising a plan for constructing Disneyland, they worked out a system for keeping costs under control and getting the huge park built on schedule. To adhere to that system required … Continue reading →

Try, Try Again ‘Tis a lesson you should heed, Try, try again; If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try again; Then your courage should appear, For, if you will persevere, You will conquer, never fear; Try, try again. — … Continue reading →

A quick story: Popular legend has it that a colleague once asked Albert Einstein for his phone number. Einstein reached for the phone directory and looked it up. amazed, the man responded by asking, “You don’t remember your own number?” … Continue reading →

Wow! The nominees for the 91st Academy Awards were recently announced and there are some strong contenders based on books or with major book connections. This isn’t really surprising since there are tons of great movies out there that began … Continue reading →

From a writer: “It’s my truest happiness … As soon as I walk into my study, I start getting cues of pleasure — my books on the shelves, the articular odor of the room. These cues begin to tie into … Continue reading →