It’s like following a swarm of locusts — I was born in 1958 and have been considered a Baby Boomer my whole life. It never felt right though, like a pair of shoes that is about a half size too big. For some reason, those of us born in the late 1950s and early 1960s always get lumped…

A search for direction and destination — On May 2, 1979, I was discharged from the U.S. Army along with my friend Steve. We had served the previous three years together at Fort Carson, Colo., and finally the day we had waited for arrived. We were free. To celebrate our new freedom, we decided to make a trip to Bend…

A look into the magical world of white privilege — If you want an exercise in frustration, try to explain the concept of “white privilege” to someone who either doesn’t get it or refuses to. I have seen otherwise calm and composed people get their proverbial undies in a bundle when confronted with this term. …

Life is a “hands-on” learning experience — When I was growing up, my dad always told me that some people live and learn, and others just live. The older I got, the more I realized just how right he was. I’ve always tried to see the lessons life laid before me and learn from them. Locked inside…

Suddenly she is everywhere — If you peruse social media with any regularity, you are bound to come across a plethora of young women dressing up like Jenna Ortega in the series “Wednesday.” …

There is a time to keep your mouth shut and listen — If there is anything I know something about, it’s being a white guy. I was born a white guy and I have been a white guy pretty much my whole life. Being a white guy has had a lot of advantages. People today would refer to it as “white privilege,”…

Every generation thinks they had it the hardest. But did they? — I give the same writing assignment to my students every year, and for the most part, I get the same types of responses every year. It doesn’t matter if I gave the assignment in 1987, 1999, 2011, or 2022. Most of the essays sound remarkably the same. …

If you are a chaos fan, you would love it — Over the Christmas holidays, one of the more glaring news stories was the meltdown of the airline industry, with Southwest leading the way. Thousands upon thousands of flights were canceled due to weather, staffing shortages, and “technology issues.” …

The hood is not getting any better — When I was a kid, it was called the “ghetto.” Some old-timers I know who haven’t kept up with modern lingo still refer to it that way. Since at least 1991, when “Boyz n the Hood” premiered, it has been referred to simply as “The Hood.” …