the nearby pen

A Chapter-Ending Idea

2012-01-17T20:47:00.001+07:00

A man, upon hearing that he hasn't enough money in his bank account to pay for a life-saving surgery, appears to die. His last words before passing out are, "I wish I had spent more time at the office."

On Whether to List "Stinky-Butt" as an Alternative Name for My Son

2011-12-02T17:16:00.009+07:00

Was it a sacrifice to forego writing "pumpkin-head" and "stinky-butt" on my son's passport application, where it asks for other names he's known by? If a sacrifice is "the surrender of a greater value for the sake of a lesser one or of a nonvalue" and I value my son actually getting his passport over making a joke on it than no, it was not. At least I don't think so.To me, that's called being

This Painting Has a Very Important Message to Share

2011-11-28T23:00:00.005+07:00

Few people think of Edouard Bisson anymore. But after reading that consumers in America went "shopping like there's no tomorrow," I recalled this painting of his.Why?I recently answered that very question on Facebook and, not wanting to see those thoughts disappear forever below random clicks of things I "like," I'll reproduce my answer below:Luc Travers would probably be able to answer this

The Pause that Pleases

2011-07-06T00:02:00.002+07:00

Here's praise for the pause that...pleasesAnd a toast for the stop that...teasesWhile it gets us worked up, It's so fun when time's upAnd the tension at long last...releases.

Objective Communication for Sale

2011-01-03T01:06:00.005+07:00

A year ago, I bought a lecture course called "Objective Communication" by Leonard Peikoff. Since then, I have listened to the course twice. It has proven extremely valuable, helped me to get published numerous times, and I treasure it. However, my wife also gave me something valuable last year--a baby boy. And I treasure him too. So in order to help buy him all the Montessori toys that a parent

The Potentially Alive, 6

2010-12-17T17:59:00.002+07:00

This is the sixth post (out of six) in a short story about how the world ends, or begins. Click on the appropriate link for the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth post in the series.***The golden rays of a rising sun warmly embraced another morning. They skipped and danced across a lake. The lake, surrounded by lush, green grass, seemed to be composed of a million winks. It flashed

The Potentially Alive, 5

2010-12-17T16:56:00.007+07:00

This is the fifth post (out of six) in a short story about how the world ends, or begins. Click on the appropriate link for the first, second, third, or fourth post in the series.***The back of women’s heads surrounded the room, their shoulders sagged as their fingers pounded away slowly at the keyboards in front of them, and nobody at all said a word. This was the place where history would

How to Acquire Ideas for Writing

2010-12-15T12:58:00.005+07:00

I just finished reading Ayn Rand's The Art of Nonfiction for the second time this year. Although I don't have time to review it, I do have time to share some advice that Ayn Rand gives on the subject of acquiring ideas for writing:Like everything else in the mind that seems automatic, this process must be started consciously. Once you condition your subconscious properly, it throws you ideas

Tuva or Bust!

2010-11-26T14:36:00.003+07:00

Here's an interesting quote from Tuva or Bust!--a book by Ralph Leighton about his and Richard Feynman's dream to visit Tannu Tuva:As we relaxed in the serenity of the baths overlooking the ocean, Richard suddenly cried, "Thank you, Dr. Morton!" The Chief never forgot that he was living on borrowed time, and often thanked the man most responsible for it in the same way that others would thank God

The Pillars of the Earth Preview Looks Good!

2010-05-22T16:21:00.000+07:00

Art Antidote for the Disappointed

2010-03-22T19:57:00.004+07:00

Given recent news, I thought I'd share a poem that I love--and which is appropriate. Called "How did you Die?" it was written by Edmund Vance Cook.Did you tackle that trouble that came your wayWith a resolute heart and cheerful?Or hide your face from the light of dayWith a craven soul and fearful? Oh, trouble's a ton, or trouble's an ounce,Or a trouble is what you make it. And it isn't the fact

Baby Toy Review: Logan the Lion

2010-03-04T14:53:00.002+07:00

I remember the first time I heard Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Minor and I imagine it's the same way kids feel when they leave the world of black and white panda toys or board books and come face to face with Logan the Lion."This is what I'm talking about," they must think, their eyes greedily devouring the bright red mane and the explosion of colors that stream away from it. "I don't know what

Baby Book Review: Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo

2010-03-02T14:48:00.000+07:00

This book provides the same thrill as watching a Rube Goldberg machine in action--or seeing a million dominoes falling consecutively from the push of a tiny finger. Starting with the sneeze of a little bug, a chain of events takes place that ends in a chaotic parade. The realization that each action is causing something progressively larger builds excitement for the satisfying conclusion (which

The Girl (and the Billionaire) in the Glass

2010-02-19T16:49:00.004+07:00

An interesting post by Kelly at the always interesting Reepicheep's Coracle stated the following:Rational people who are trying to be happy should think about themselves first. "What do I want to do today?" should be the primary question we are asking ourselves.That made me instantly recall one of the (many) sayings by Warren Buffett that I like:"I have this complicated procedure I go through

Good Morning, Merry Sunshine

2010-02-18T11:18:00.006+07:00

In the comments section of my post reviewing Goodnight Moon, I mentioned a poem for the mornings that goes perfectly well. It's called "Good Morning, Merry Sunshine" and, without further ado, here it is:Good morning, merry sunshine,How did you wake so soon?You chased away the little stars, And shone away the moon!I saw you go to sleep last nightBefore I ceased my play.How did you get back

Baby Book Review: The Very Busy Spider

2010-02-14T10:24:00.003+07:00

The Very Busy Spider starts when a strong wind blows a spider from her web on a tree to a barnyard fence. The hard-working spider does not complain about bad luck, or ask other animals to catch flies for her. Instead, she immediately starts spinning a new web. Then, animal after animal come by asking her to do something else. In each case, however, the spider doesn't reply. "She was very busy

Baby Book Review: Goodnight Moon

2010-02-11T22:16:00.007+07:00

Goodnight Moon is a short poem meant to be read to a child before going to bed. It begins by naming all the things in a room, from “two little kittens and a pair of mittens” to “a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush.” Following this, “good night” wishes are granted to everything previously named.The illustrations match the book’s purpose wonderfully. For example, a bright green room greets

Main Event Recap of Prager vs Reality

2010-02-06T09:38:00.006+07:00

Last June it was my pleasure to interview Burgess Laughlin for the first installment of One Question, One Answer.Mr. Laughlin's response to my question--asking what makes a biography good (or bad)--zeroed in on the proper standards for judging a biography, presented a well-chosen example to clarify one of the most important qualities a good biography has, and gave a remarkably concise

Don't Play With Your Food!

2010-02-02T21:25:00.001+07:00

In an earlier post, covering three ways to teach your kids to lie, I concluded that "for all the parents searching for the reason their kids lie, here's a possible answer: you taught them to."While eating soup with my wife tonight, I pretended the soup was a train boom-chug-a-chuggin' up a hill and then choo-chooing before it is supposed to enter the tunnel. And then I made the connection that a

New Twitter Motto

2010-01-27T12:20:00.004+07:00

I think the new Twitter motto should be the following quote by Victor Hugo, from (one of my favorite books) The Man Who Laughs: "To speak with oneself aloud is to carry on a conversation with the god within."

Posted Elsewhere: Justice and Parenting

2009-12-26T18:19:00.004+07:00

The concept of "justice"--within the context of relationships--means identifying a person for what he is, using every relevant fact available, and acting accordingly.This includes a parent identifying certain traits in their children that make them entirely lovable--traits such as the seriousness with which they set upon the task of learning how this world works; their independent, (sometimes

How to Understand (and Savor) Great Art

2009-12-25T10:30:00.001+07:00

This short clip is taken from a longer presentation on the art curriculum at the oh-so-wonderful VanDamme Academy. I recommend watching it in full, but wanted to highlight this portion of it because it made me remember an Edgar Allen Poe quote (from the Purloined Letter):"When I wish to find out how wise or how stupid or how good or how wicked is anyone, or what are his thoughts at the moment, I

Define Your Terms

2009-12-12T14:47:00.005+07:00

I offered a definition of "reward" in the comments section of a previous post and wanted to bring it front and center--for comments. Here it is again: a reward is something given or received in response to or recompense for some action.Notice that this is very close to the standard dictionary definitions for the term. The Free Dictionary, for instance, defines the term as something given or

Questioning HR 3962

2009-12-04T23:59:00.003+07:00

John David Lewis has done it again. He's made a list of important questions for, and text passages from, HR 3962. To these, I'd only add a few questions of my own--that some of you may want to ask the bill's supporters.1. A proper government recognizes the right of each individual to act toward the pursuit of his own happiness and to keep the justly earned fruits of his labor. Does the current

Annie Sullivan on Discipline

2009-11-16T22:40:00.001+07:00

I recently ordered a course by Lisa VanDamme that analyzes three great plays--one of which is The Miracle Worker. So, in partial preparation for the course, the wife and I watched the movie based on Gibson's play. Though I watched the movie as a child, and didn't like it, I found it much better this time around. The actions of the characters made more sense, and I could get past the erratic