I’ve been supporting Kiva’s microlending program since 2011. My first ‘loan’ was a $25 contribution to a loan to a woman named Maria in Peru. I think someone gave me a Kiva gift card to get me started. This morning I received an email saying that one of my loans had ended in default. This… Continue reading My Bowl Is Full
Category: Passions
All my posts about things-about-which-I-am-passionate-other-than-writing: you’ll find posts here on parenting, knitting, cooking, frugality, the environment, gardening and whatever else catches my eye this week.
We have a National Arch
The National Memorial Arch is in Valley Forge National Park where George Washington and the Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-78. No drones. No snipers. Just a solemn memorial on a hill, surrounded by nature.
#3 Album
Today I’m reflecting on You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love by Olivia Rodrigo. (This is part of my Top 10 albums listening project, rooted in a snapshot of September 2026’s chart. Catch up with #1 and #2) I really expected to hate this, based on a quick listen to the intros… Continue reading #3 Album
#2 Album
Today I’m listening to Dandelion by Ella Langley. (If you missed it, yesterday was Don’t Look Down by Rod Wave) First up: it’s country! I’m not really a huge country fan but I’m open. I was on alert for ‘this is so not for me’ vibes when I saw the notes on the album saying… Continue reading #2 Album
#1 Album
I’m regularly tempted by YouTube videos on the theme of “First Time Hearing…” where someone listens to a classic song for the first time and goes wide-eyed at the fact that, I don’t know, Dolly Parton on Phil Collins or The Beastie Boys had some skills. Yesterday I watched two: My amazement that these people… Continue reading #1 Album
Regulate AI Companies, Now
I read an article this morning that broke down an Anthropic (owners of the Claude AI engine) report on why their agents weren’t returning accurate information even when the right answers were in the datasets it was reading. Let me say that again: Anthropic has developed, released, charged for, and heavily promoted ‘agentic AI’…and it… Continue reading Regulate AI Companies, Now
Who Did Americans Fight In The War of Independence?
Hey US-type Americans, I have a question: Who were you fighting in 1776? The British? The English? Who? It’s Not Your Fault You’re Confused I’ve spend a LOT of this year reading newly-published books and articles, and listening to podcasts and talks around the topic of the American Revolution/War of Independence. As an immigrant to… Continue reading Who Did Americans Fight In The War of Independence?
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
250 years ago a choice was made. This was not inevitable. Nor was the country that came after it. And choices have continued to be made. What Comes Next? In the musical Hamilton, when George III realizes he’s lost the colonies, he switches from asserting ‘you’ll be back’ to asking “What comes next?…Do you know… Continue reading A Republic, If You Can Keep It
Thinking about Death
Yesterday was the anniversary of the day my Dad left us. This week, my dear friend Marta’s father joined him in the great whatever. A week or so ago, a friend my age finally stopped being able to outrun the chronic illness that should have prevented him doing the many remarkable things he did with… Continue reading Thinking about Death
How I Consume Books Now That Amazon is Evil
I own a first-generation Kindle. I was a member of Audible back in their pre-Amazon days when you could only listen to their stuff on a pre-iPod mp3-player and when they had different compression rates (Level 1 sounded terrible but downloaded quickly and didn’t take up much space on your device. It was also barely… Continue reading How I Consume Books Now That Amazon is Evil