I love it because

1. Auld Lang Syne is one of my favorite songs, and
2. I love St. Andrews. Kaitlin did her junior year there so I spent a long weekend there that November when I had a business trip in Germany, and Andy I went there for a week during her spring break. We have some wonderful memories.

Since the videos show the students celebrating Robert Burns Night, I looked up some of his writings. I was already aware of

Oh would some power the gift give us,
to see ourselves as others see us!

and

The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men,
Gang aft a-gley,

But this one surprised and impressed me:

While Europe’s eye is fix’d on mighty things,
The fate of empires and the fall of kings;
While quacks of State must each produce his plan,
And even children lisp the Rights of Man;
Amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,
The Rights of Woman merit some attention.

Burns lived from January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796. So he wrote it about the time Abigail Adams was telling John to “remember the ladies” when they were creating a new government here in America. (Not that John listened.)

So yesterday was a deeply happy day, rich with connections. Thanks to the internet and my iPad and computer — my windows to the world.

July 6, 2026

The Other Coast

July 5, 2026

Pexels

April 19, 1775 — “the shot heard round the world,” the start of the Revolutionary War.

July 4, 1776 — the idea that was, and still is, heard “round the world.”

The Declaration of Independence did three things: it announced separation from Britain, it justified that separation, and it grounded politics in human rights rather than royal authority. It claimed that all people are created equal, endowed with unalienable rights, and that legitimate governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

How to do that, and even whether it is a good idea, is an ongoing challenge and debate. There will always be powerful interests opposing it, but it’s a document and idea worth celebrating.

Happy 250th Anniversary!

July 4, 2026

The six village lads experienced nothing other than unfettered kindness which is, when you think about it, the most reassuring thing anyone can say about America (and the world) today. They can hardly wait to go back.

I’m going to savor that for a good, long time.

July 3, 2026

Speed Bump

July 2, 2026

Again, the picture showed our apartment number, which could have been helpful. Also notice the package was placed partly under the door mat. That could also have been useful if it had been windy.

I said the delivery was great, and that it was delivered with care. (They don’t let me be more specific.)

Little things can make a big difference.

July 1, 2026

Speed Bump

Have you noticed a difference in expectations the past few years? If so, how do you feel about it?

June 30, 2026

I needed to order a couple of connectors to finish streamlining my DSL and phone cords, and some of them were supposed to arrive yesterday. So I was happy to receive the email saying they were here.

But when I went to the door…nothing. I checked the picture the delivery person took, and it was a good one.

It not only showed the three packages and our doormat, it showed our apartment number. Amazon had done its part.

So why weren’t the packages there? There was a slight breeze so I looked the length of the porch to see if they had blown down to the other end. No, but when I looked over the railing two of them were on the ground below me. I walked (downwind) to the end of the apartments looking for the third one but didn’t see it until I was on my way back. It had somehow blown to the side of our apartment. I didn’t take the picture until later, but the package was in the shadow, about halfway the width of the building.

So mystery solved. As I’ve said before, we don’t have to leave home to have an adventure. (It pays to have a simple mind?)

June 29, 2026

The Other Coast

June 28, 2026

Wednesday was the 24th, the day the Century Link technician was supposed to come out. Instead around noon I checked to see if they had a time estimate and found out they had canceled the appointment.

So I went to their website, asked the chat fellow why it happened, and why they didn’t bother to tell me. He apologized for not letting me know, but he said they had checked the line for the past 11 days and it was giving me better service than I was paying for. It wasn’t their line, maybe a new modem might help.

ChatGPT had mentioned the modem might be a problem so I did buy a new one, and it arrived the next afternoon (Thursday). I give them credit for that.

When it came I scanned the QR code they gave me, and the site said sorry, it wasn’t available right now. The webpage they suggested wasn’t helpful, so I asked Claude what to do. It was a big help, so after I went through some hoops, the modem was set up.

The only problem then was the modem is a lot bigger than my old one, which meant I had to understand the rats’ nest of cables and cords to figure out how to plug it in the new spot. So I thought of Snoopy the detective,

and I stuck with it until I figured out where all the cords where going and what they were doing. It took a long time — I didn’t get to bed until 3 yesterday morning. But I ended up simplifying the system, and it felt good.

So now we see if everything works more smoothly or if I have to contact Century Link again. Fingers crossed!

Life is one adventure after another.

June 27, 2026