Musings

I remember watching reruns of The Lone Ranger when I was a kid. As the masked hero rode off into the sunset, I always thought, “Why doesn’t he take off his mask so people can see who he is?” It was a fair question from a kid in a world where everyone wants to be seen, recognized,…

I remember singing a song at church camp (usually around a fire) called “Pass It On.” The first verse says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.” Of course, as an adult, I realize that starting a fire usually takes more…

Not long ago, while walking through Chicago, I noticed something small—something most people wouldn’t have seen. A building had decorative elements designed to make it look like it was bolted together like some giant piece of machinery crafted with care. But some of those decorative bolts were missing. And in that moment, the illusion broke.…

Samuel Francis Smith wrote the lyrics to “America” in 1831. His use of the same melody as the British royal anthem is a contrafactum, which reworks this symbol of British monarchy to make a statement about American democracy. The lyrics speak of liberty, freedom, and patriotism, and it served as the de facto national anthem until the…

Omakase directly translates to “I leave it up to you.” Omakase, a chef-curated dinner, is where the customer leaves the order details to the sushi chef. Why would you let someone else pick what you have for dinner? Because you believe (and trust) that the sushi chef knows more about sushi, the current state of…

We have all had this happen. Something you are using (in your house, car, yard, etc.) starts making a noise, a vibration, a squeak, or anything that is different from the last time you used it. Most likely, the item is still functioning, but now it is making that noise. You are understandably concerned. “What is wrong?”…

A friend of mine has cancer. It is contained and not growing (or at least growing very slowly), so his oncologist has recommended active surveillance as the treatment plan for now. Active surveillance is a strategy in which patients are monitored closely with treatment delayed until something changes that indicates the cancer is progressing. There…

What if, 150 years from now, a poster from Hobby Lobby has become one of the most influential works of art in the world? I was fortunate to hear a lecture by Sarah E. Thompson (curator of Japanese art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) about the inspiration and influence of Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849).…

No, I’m not encouraging a comeback by the ’80s boy band, so you can relax. I was thinking about my high school experience the other day, though. I transferred to a new (larger) school my sophomore year. About 80% of the students had gone to school together since preschool. They knew each other, their parents…

I recently attended the Hope Is Alive (HIA) Inspiring Lunch in Oklahoma City. The theme was “Not Normal,” referring to the differences between HIA and many of the other addiction recovery programs. In recovery, we often refer to people who are not addicts as “normies.” We love normies, but we are grateful that we are not normal.…