Children Sleeping. Painting by Vasily Perov, 1870. What is the first thing you do after waking up in the morning? For present purposes, exclude turning off the alarm clock. In my early twenties, the first thing I frequently did was smoke a cigarette. Eventually, a friend convinced me to stop smoking. It was one of … Continue reading Allies, Not Enemies →

Playground (Children Playing). Jeffrey Smart, 1951. My father was a civil engineer. He worked in the design and construction of public works—highways, reservoirs, dams, that sort of thing. He traveled to wherever the job was, bringing his family along with him. We lived in thirteen states by the time I was six years old. When … Continue reading What Are You Afraid Of? →

Thanks for joining me! The beginning is the most important part of the work. — Plato