The summer of 1968 was a pivotal and contentious year around the world, and especially so in America. The country was at war in a place few had ever heard of. The Tet Offensive in January signaled a problem there in Vietnam far greater than U.S. leaders would admit and an increasingly embattled incumbent president … Continue reading The summer of 1968 and my first Major League baseball game
Strictly personal
He lived a long time with that new heart
Early June in 2008 was hotter than most. That’s saying a lot these days, when the late spring and early summer months seem to turn up the swelter to “darned near unbearable” more often than in the past. Or so it seems anyway. I was taking a walk. Not all that unusual. I like to … Continue reading He lived a long time with that new heart
Updated with fall schedule: A source of Inspiration at Elon
UPDATE: Earlier this year I posted the story below with videos about a wonderful program on Thursday mornings at Elon. The fall schedule is now underway for the Thursday Inspirations at Numen Lumen Pavilion. The theme this year is "Authentic Identities." Thursday Sept. 6 in the Numen Lumen Sacred Space Dr. Alan Russell, associate professor … Continue reading Updated with fall schedule: A source of Inspiration at Elon
Witnessing the Long Island Medium
A skeptic from birth and a registered contrarian for more than three decades of good and dedicated standing I'm probably the last person most would expect to find at a program that involves a psychic, a medium, a fortune-teller, a tarot-card reader, a palm-reader, a tea-leaf scatterer, a Magic 8-Ball shaker or those who worship … Continue reading Witnessing the Long Island Medium
An enduring Easter family tradition
Easter was always about my grandfather. Well, that's probably overstating the case. And of course time changes things. Now it's also about my grandmother and my father and, well, many others, too. But when I was a kid growing up in the mountain town that will always be my first home, Easter was about my … Continue reading An enduring Easter family tradition
The day I officially rescinded my college team fandom — in legal writing and everything
Last week marked the fourth anniversary of what became a life-altering change in my life. I disowned a sports team I had followed as a drooling and rabid fan from age 8 to 54. And I stuck to it. I dropped it like a bad habit -- cold turkey the way I stopped smoking back … Continue reading The day I officially rescinded my college team fandom — in legal writing and everything
A year of new and welcomed challenges
From 2007 to 2016 when part of my job as a newspaper editor involved hiring college students as reporting interns I was often surprised by how many expressed an interest in writing for magazines. When I was a college student back during the dark ages magazine writing never once crossed my mind as a career … Continue reading A year of new and welcomed challenges
Another Taylor Christmas, another visit to the emergency room
Author's update: I wrote the story below about in 2015 or so a family Christmas tradition that really needs to stop. Yet it continued on Christmas Eve this year -- with me. Yes after being hospitalized in September, unable to work or do much of anything else without an oxygen tank and being largely bound … Continue reading Another Taylor Christmas, another visit to the emergency room
Then one smoky Christmas Eve
I few years ago I wrote about Christmas Eve memories of going to my grandparents house on my mother's side of the family. It was a great event with a house full of rowdy men and children along with the women who did the real work and put up with the shenanigans. I'm only slightly … Continue reading Then one smoky Christmas Eve
Along for the ride — without a driver in Las Vegas
Sometimes when I'm walking along a city street with my spouse or friends I don't pay much attention to where we're going. Usually I'm far too busy taking in where we are in the moment to see what's next. Count this among a few dozen bad habits I've developed since birth. Let's say this tendency … Continue reading Along for the ride — without a driver in Las Vegas
Madison's Avenue 