A few months ago I wrote about what is known as the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon, a situation where one happens upon some obscure piece of information—often an unfamiliar word or name—and soon afterwards encounters the same subject again, often repeatedly. Last week I wrote about how great Bryan Stevenson's book, Just Mercy, is. In the book, Stevenson … Continue reading The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon and W.E.B. Du Bois
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Portion Control via Vessel Size Is a Secret to Success and Happiness
A tip of the hat to Seth Godin for the title of today's blog post. Seth closed his Sunday blog post with that line, but before it, he used some examples to support his case. Here are some of those examples: serving 4 ounces of wine in a beer stein would make it seem like … Continue reading Portion Control via Vessel Size Is a Secret to Success and Happiness
Best Night of Summer 2016, Thanks to Gaelic Storm
I just had the best night of the summer so far. The Upper Merion Parks and Recreation Department puts on an annual summer "Concerts Under the Stars" series, and tonight featured Gaelic Storm along with opening act Brian Bortnick. We (my wife, son, and I) decided to go to the concert despite never having heard … Continue reading Best Night of Summer 2016, Thanks to Gaelic Storm
The Bordens Go to a Baseball Game; You Won’t Believe What Happened Next
It seemed a like a perfect summer night, warm and a little muggy. Our calendar was open for the evening, and so at the last minute we decided to buy some tickets to watch the Wilmington Blue Rocks play the Lynchburg Hillcats. The Blue Rocks are an advanced Single-A league in minor league baseball affiliated with … Continue reading The Bordens Go to a Baseball Game; You Won’t Believe What Happened Next
Each of Us Is More Than the Worst Thing We’ve Ever Done
The title for this post is one of the more memorable lines from “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson, a lawyer who defends those on death row or sentenced to life in prison, people who are broken. He notes that he often had conversations with clients who were struggling and despairing … Continue reading Each of Us Is More Than the Worst Thing We’ve Ever Done
Is This the Best We Can Do?
A friend and fellow Villanova faculty member, Bud Drago, has just released his band's (Freeze Time) latest single, "Is This the Best We Can Do?". His band has put out five albums, the most recent, Sub Zero, was released earlier this year. Here is an excerpt from an email he sent me, along with the … Continue reading Is This the Best We Can Do?
WWW: Wednesday’s Word of the Week – Jeremiad
"Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" by Bryan Stevenson was a New York Times best seller, has won numerous awards, and was the recent selection in Cory Booker's book club. Even though I'm only 34% of the way through the book (thanks Kindle), I can see why. Here is an excerpt from a review … Continue reading WWW: Wednesday’s Word of the Week – Jeremiad
Indifference: The Most Insidious Danger of All
When I heard about the recent death of Elie Wiesel, I realized I knew very little about him. After reading his obituary, I wanted to learn more about him, so I decided to read Night, a book based on his experiences as a prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps. The book is a short … Continue reading Indifference: The Most Insidious Danger of All
Dear Mega Millions Winner,
Congratulations on winning the recent Mega Millions lottery! I'll make no secret of the fact that I was also trying to win the jackpot, but I don't want to be a sore loser. It was a hard-fought battle, but you won fair and square, beating out millions of other contestants. I can't imagine what your … Continue reading Dear Mega Millions Winner,
Some Folks Dream of the Wonders They’ll Do
Before their time on this planet is through... If you know what song those lines are from, then you must be a member of the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fan club. My wife and I, and two of our sons, had a chance to see the show this afternoon down in Raleigh, where … Continue reading Some Folks Dream of the Wonders They’ll Do
Borden's Blather 