Monthly Archives: October 2017

Talent

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Aya Katz

Is there such a thing as talent? And if so what is it? What does it mean to be talented at something? What does it mean if you are not that talented? This topic came up the other night in … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Opinion Pieces and Editorials | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Disenfranchised

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Aya Katz

What would a choice by the people look like in a political context? Would it mean that the people, each individually, gather together in rooms, in their own communities, hash out what they would like to vote for, and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion Pieces and Editorials, Politics and Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Monarch Butterfly and the Thistle Flower

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Aya Katz

For years, I have been seeking in vain for a clear view of the elusive Monarch butterfly.  Only this year, with the milkweed on the the decline and the thistle on the ascendancy, did I get a good, close look … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals and Pets, Flowers, Gardening and plants, Plants | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Meaning of The Comforters by Rudyard Kipling

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Aya Katz

Last night, on my “Fans of Rudyard Kipling” fan page on Facebook, I had a message from  a fan of Kipling’s poetry who lives in India. “Sir, Can you please explain the poem ‘The Comforters’ of our dear Rudyard Kipling?I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Opinion Pieces and Editorials, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Can I get a toy and a senior discount on my Happy Meal?

Posted on October 23, 2017 by LuckyWeasel

Freedom and slavery are but illusions. Freedom is just an illusion where order is arrived through informed consent and slavery is simply order where consent is irrelevant. We like order, but we implicity understand that it is not perfect. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion Pieces and Editorials, Politics and Philosophy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Belly Lying

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Aya Katz

When you were born, there were no rules about how a baby was supposed to be positioned in the crib. Sometimes you slept on your belly. Sometimes you slept on your back. There was usually a blanket covering you. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Rearing, Family, Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Ghost Mask Maker of Jiufen

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Aya Katz

When I was a professor in Tamsui Oxford University College in Taiwan, my students liked to invite me on outings to see other parts of the island. One time a whole group of us, students and professors, traveled together to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts, Costumes for Halloween | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Taking a Hiatus

Posted on October 21, 2017 by admin

Recently I talked about dropping out of the rat race, and why some young people who were doing this had my sympathy. One comment that kept recurring was that they had better not try to drop back in, once they … Continue reading →

Posted in Opinion Pieces and Editorials | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Modeling the Audible Vacuum County Shirt

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Aya Katz

I am not really comfortable modeling clothes. Julia Hanna did a much better job showing the Vacuum County T-shirt to full advantage. But this is the Audible Vacuum County T-shirt. So far, I think I am the only person on … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Fashion | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Archiving Artwork Online

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Aya Katz

Sometimes we have drawings or paintings we are not particularly proud of, but they have sentimental value. As amateur artists, should we keep everything but our best work away from the public? Will it detract from our “reputation” if we … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments