Education

  • Summa Cum Laude

    My second anniversary of graduating Summa Cum Laude from California State University, Long Beach, at age 75, is May 21, 2026. A celebration marking eight years from 2016 to 2024. After the long journey Arriving homethe feeling of ending and… Continue reading

    Summa Cum Laude
  • The Shrinking Memory

    Remember when we would hoot over the fact that after 12 hours of smoking ganja, we’d swear we couldn’t remember a thing we’d done that day? Then there were the times when you were talking to someone, and suddenly your… Continue reading

    The Shrinking Memory
  • Spanish

    I love the sound of Spanish in all its forms. As spoken by a resident of Madrid, Mexico City, San Juan, Puerto Rico, the South Bronx, or East Los Angeles. According to Ehlion Language Consultancy, “Spanish is the official language… Continue reading

    Spanish
  • Dear America, Can We Talk?

    “…President Trump has fueled a culture of fear, racism, and demonization as part of his efforts to resuscitate a culture of white Christian nationalism.” American Nightmare: Facing the Challenge of Fascism, Henry A. Giroux Excuse me, the late Joan Rivers,… Continue reading

    Dear America, Can We Talk?
  • Serious Times

    Final thoughts of 2025. These truly are serious and dangerous times. The last question I have is, what are we going to do about it in 2026? These/ are serious timesThese/ are not serious peopleThese/ are fraught timesThese/ are not… Continue reading

    Serious Times
  • A Mob of Sheep

    “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”—Sinclair Lewis This is the second of two essays on Trumpism. The first was “The Ministry of Lies.” The following essay was posted in June… Continue reading

    A Mob of Sheep
  • The Ministry of Lies

    Considering recent events, I suggest revisiting this essay, which I have rewritten multiple times over the past few years and have recently updated to reflect the current situation. Don’t say you weren’t warned. I’m not naïve. The practice of lying… Continue reading

    The Ministry of Lies
  • A Year of Violent Living

    The following poetic memoir is part of an upcoming chapbook titled “Walking Backward over Broken Glass.” In 1968, I was nineteen, living in Da Bronx. It was the year of cities burning. New York. Baltimore. Boston. Chicago. Detroit. Kansas City.… Continue reading

    A Year of Violent Living
  • I Am All of Them

    diaspora(n.) 1825 in reference to Moravian protestants; 1869 in reference to the dispersion of the Jews; from Greek diaspora “dispersion,” from diaspeirein “to scatter about, disperse,” from dia “about, across” (see dia-) + speirein “to scatter” (see sparse). – etymoline.com… Continue reading

    I Am All of Them
  • The Freedom in My Mind

    “It is the policy of the United States to: (a) secure the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech…” — Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship. White House Executive Order. Donald J. Trump. January 20,… Continue reading

    The Freedom in My Mind