Confessions of a neo-Romantic Humanist Objectivist — I needed help. Because I never listened to advice, my mom and mates had refused any further consultations. Intense therapy had been working, Jungian, of course, but after three sessions, my insurance dropped. My German therapist said, “Viel Glück, Mann, with those unkooperativ issues!” Anyway, I was leaving to study…

Consequences of Neglect: Unraveling the Threads of Childhood Trauma — As a teacher, my enduring concern has always been for the children — my students. Sometimes, too much. Perhaps that’s why I initially connected with Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye — it spoke to the desire to shield children from adults, society, evil, and conformity. This sentiment echoes in…

Swiss Escapade: Love, Lies, and Loss — In the lobby of the Hotel de Berne in Lucerne, Switzerland, Morgan Neulander fiddled with her moss green silk scarf. On the black leather sofa, she shifted positions. Why couldn’t she find comfort? Was it about the decision she couldn’t make? At thirty-nine, tall, with straight blonde hair, middle-back length…

From Violins to Harmonicas to Stardom — I interviewed my grandfather, Richard Goldhahn, at his house on St. Patrick’s Day, March 1999. He wrote the hit song “Sioux City Sue.” The full video is available at the end. He passed on Nov 22nd at 88. I. The Musical Journey: From ‘Heidigenok’ to Forming an Orchestra I was born in 1915. Fred was born in 1917, and George…

Harvesting Wisdom: Exploring the Symbolism of Labor — “Mowing” isn’t a poem everyone knows — or thinks they know — from Robert Frost. Frost once said “the scythe and the pen were his two favorite tools.” (What would he think about Voice to Text?) But it’s short, and there’s a lot to it. It’s a hybrid sonnet —…

A candid year-end reflection from scholar and instructor — The Call Dear Mr. Bowne, Over the past year, I have traversed mountains of stress and struggled across rivers of work. As I reflect on the past year, but specifically on English, I wish a frank reflection, Mr. Bowne, as I know you will read this. It was clear from the first…

Examining the Impact of Colonialism on Native Americans — “Considering that virtually none of the standard fare surrounding Thanksgiving contains an ounce of authenticity, historical accuracy, or cross-cultural perception, why is it so apparently ingrained? Is it necessary to the American psyche to perpetually exploit and debase its victims in order to justify its history?” — Michael Dorris Hey…

Flannery O’Connor’s Southern Gothic “A Good Man is Hard to Find” — I’m currently on my lunch break, enjoying a strong cup of black tea while having lunch in the back of my KIA Sorento. It’s a sort of tailgating experience, albeit with tea and literature instead of the usual fare. Am I amazing, or am I just a bit pathetic? Why…

Nestled in nature — reflections on existence — Like Walden for Thoreau, Or Innisfree for Yeats, Laugharne for Dylan Thomas — I’m dreaming of our nest in the woods — The retreat where we retreat even while hunkered down in suburbia. I hear the Pileated Woodpeckers, the titter of the White-breasted Nuthatch, the Dark-eyed Junco, (who somehow flew…