Trust in American institutions has been dissipating for over a half a century. Long before we had the COVID-19 arguments over masks, we already had Watergate, Vietnam, and Iran-Contra. Each of those made us wonder if the folks in charge knew what they were doing or were lying to our faces. For ...
It was a different time. In fact, the crazy fun we had in the 鈥�70s was like a spin-off from the fun sitcom 鈥淒elta House鈥� or the movie 鈥淎nimal House.鈥� Every Thursday night, we had a standing invitation from our friend Jim to go to Carl and Ethel鈥檚 basement. Jim didn鈥檛 live there ...
I want to tell you about a typical summer day for a 10-year-old boy in a suburb of Dickerson Run named East Liberty, Pennsylvania. But first, some geographic clarification. The East Liberty where I grew up, or just 鈥淟iberty,鈥� as we locals called it, is not a part of Pittsburgh. It is a ...
Like many of you, I have spent large chunks of life chasing shiny things. In that regard, I have been distracted by a desire to appear successful by having the trappings of 鈥渟uccess.鈥� You know, the things that say, 鈥淚 made it. Applause, please.鈥� It started when I was a tween. ...
They built a golf course all around my grandparents' house. The 18th fairway nearly cut through their backyard, and until we put wire grates over the windows, flying glass and golf balls were a common threat. Dad attempted to play golf a few times. As a little kid, he had fallen off a horse. ...
As a teacher, husband, and new father in the 鈥�70s, expectations of what it meant to be a man changed. I can remember telling a friend, 鈥淚 grew up idolizing John Wayne and had to become Alan Alda.鈥� For my younger readers, it meant that men raised to admire the strong, silent, macho type ...
