Monthly Archives: January 2026

When I was a kid I used to worry about spiders in the foot of my bedding, so I slept curled up. I hadn’t thought of that in years. And my folks would leave the hall light on until they … Continue reading →

I posted this cartoon in June, 2017. For some it’s even more relevant today. A lot has happened in the past eight and a half years. January 20, 2026  

The bean plants still look as if they won’t last much longer, but one of the ones on the right is putting out a blossom. And the birthday balloon is getting weaker. But it is still managing to be almost … Continue reading →

I read these lines from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses from time to time — they always make me laugh: Come, my friends, ‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite The … Continue reading →

I mentioned this fellow before. His description of old folks falling was so true for me — I laugh every time I think of it. For me it was surprise and awareness that I was falling, but there was no … Continue reading →

That was a title of a book by Diana Athill, written when she was in her late 80s and published when she was 90 years old. The book opens with her buying a tree fern, knowing she won’t live to … Continue reading →

Humans don’t desire anything independently. Human desire is mimetic – we imitate what other people want. This affects the way we choose partners, friends, careers, clothes, and vacation destinations. —René Girard Obviously social influencers wouldn’t be successful if there weren’t … Continue reading →

Here is what ChatGPT said: The Secret of Happiness People have been chasing the secret of happiness for as long as we’ve been telling stories. Bookshelves groan with answers. Gurus promise formulas. Researchers publish charts. But the older I get, … Continue reading →

I was thinking about yesterday’s post and decided two more things needed to be added to the secret of happiness: courage and curiosity. I was starting to write about that when I received an email about Claude — another AI … Continue reading →

(For higher resolution click on the picture.) I agree with the guru that kindness and following the golden rule is an important part of a happy life, as is love and friendship, but my happiness also needs something else. Nathaniel … Continue reading →