Personal History
Stuff dredged up from my past
How Well Do You Know Me?
From 1986-90 I was an assistant football coach for the Shiprock Chieftians at Shiprock High School in New Mexico. As JV and 9th grade coach, I was 3-25. There was a two game winning streak in there. In 1986, I tried out for the Balitmore Colts (before they moved to Indianapolis). I was a defensive... more »
Digestive Digest
I’ve been a pretty poor poster recently, and for that I’m sorry. And what I have posted has mostly been about my digestion. For that, I’m sorry as well. It just dawned on my, faithful reader, that I’ve left you hanging in this digestive dirge without resolution. For all you know, I’m dead. I’m not. Here’s an... more »
I’ll spare you the pictures of my pyloris
Last week happened. Typical. Monday started with the miraculous birth of my 12th niece/nephew, Lila Kay. She was 7 lbs. 6 oz. of perfection, born to my brother, Nate, and Darcie at 7:38 a.m. via C-Section. Her older sisters, Marryn and Ani, are thrilled with her. Her 20 month old brother, Alec, is devastated. Said... more »
Daughter in the Wide World
Oooo, baby, baby, it’s a wide world. –Cat Stevens OK, now he’s Yusuf Islam and has done a lot of things to make me scratch my head, but he captured a father’s thoughts about a daughter pretty well 40 years ago with this. Kylie graduated from high school five months ago. Since that time, she’s been... more »
I’m back, and with (stolen) tornado footage
Who knew my blogging hiatus would be noticed? Life got really wild in June and I got complacent living the unexamined life. Luckily, gentle bloggers Sarah and David have coaxed me back. I’ll begin with something simple. I just returned from the Swenson family reunion in Willmar, Minnesota. I know... more »
Beethoven, a man, and a rose
or What my wife told me in the stairs There’s nothing about listening to Beethoven that’s usual for Sherry. It’s not that she doesn’t enjoy it; she does, but the old deaf white guy doesn’t get much play in our house. He’s currently drowned out by Death Cab for Cutie, the Grease soundtrack,... more »
The Sun Also Rises
Reading along with my daughter and her AP English class, I picked up another that I have missed. Twenty six years ago as a high school senior, I read For Whom the Bell Tolls and A Farewell to Arms and wrote a terrible senior research comparing characters. I had nothing to say, and no... more »
To a mouse (with whom I battled last night and then again this morning)
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, O, what panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi' bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, Wi' murd'ring pattle! --from "To a Mouse"? Robert Burns I’m conflicted... more »
On a spider turning 18
Kylie turned 18 yesterday. We all woke up this morning and raced through the customary scramble to get to school as though nothing had changed, but something has. I just haven’t figured out exactly how. The cliché regarding this passage, and it’s absolutely true, is that it seems like yesterday we were holding... more »
A correction, a fish tank, and the phantom railroad accident
First I must correct factual information in my previous entry. I don’t know what blogger etiquette is, but instead of actually editing the entry, I’m doing it this way. I thank my mother, Phyllis, and my brother, Karl, for filling me in on this early period of my life beyond the scope of my... more »