It still feels like a new experience to have a family meal in a restaurant and our young nephews haven’t trashed the place. Axel’s Bonfire, Blaine, Minnesota. They grow up fast.
Category: In This Together
Happy Happy
Paused behind this sculpture in a Minneapolis park. A frieze depicts Father Hennepin’s first contact with the indigenous people. Above this scene, the Norwegian sculptor represents the arrival of pioneers. The displacement of the Dakota people is invisible.
Revelling in Common Experiences
A friend flew in unexpectedly. Over beer we revelled in common experiences, New Zealand, India, Japan, Australia, making the workplace work, Heinekin at Schiphol, openness to opportunities to be in other worlds.
Planning a Trip to Spain with Kids
Our nephews (9 and 10) attend a school where literacy skills are taught in English, but several other subjects, including math and science, are taught in Spanish. It’s a joy to see the boys use their skills. In 2016, they slipped unselfconsciously into Spanish when speaking with a server from Spain in our Edinburgh hotel.…… Continue reading Planning a Trip to Spain with Kids
Travelling with Cultural Baggage
One of the challenges of travel is having to bring myself with me. If the trip is going to be more than passive entertainment, I have to try to erode my preconceived notions, prejudices, blindspots, and cultural programming. This week I felt shock when I first saw the scene pictured at the top of this…… Continue reading Travelling with Cultural Baggage
The Emptiness of Social Media
In the past couple days there have been over 13,000 views of the above post in my microblog. Thirty-nine strangers have “liked” it. Typically, at this point, there would have been about 100 impressions. My microblog is an exercise in gratitude for something about each day of my life. I use Twitter as the…… Continue reading The Emptiness of Social Media
Love Beats Money
Hearts prevailed as we walked under Interstate 94 in St. Paul’s Union Park neighborhood. Other graffiti expanded the message: (heart symbol) > $
View from a Basement Classroom
Looked out the window of a basement classroom.
Sensible Gun Legislation
Stood in the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda to demand sensible gun legislation.
Cuban Art
Explored Cuban art at the Walker Art Center: subtle resistance to the official line; inspiration to resist when our leaders are wrong.