Monthly Archives: February 2019

Some Constitutional Amendment, Part III

Posted on February 26, 2019 by hessd

I think the most important challenge facing Americans today is constitutional amendment. That sub-headline connects the three essays in this series.  The first established new, but perfectly plausible meanings for “constitution” (lower case c-) and for “amendment.”[1]  The second surveyed … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Some Constitutional Amendment, Part II

Posted on February 22, 2019 by hessd

I think the most important challenge facing Americans today is constitutional amendment. The argument so far (Part 1) is not that we need a Constitutional amendment; it is that we need some constitutional amendment. Madison’s two solutions (allow factions to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Constitutional amendment, Part I

Posted on February 21, 2019 by hessd

I think the most important challenge facing Americans today is constitutional amendment. Think of that as sub-headline.  It’s misleading, sure, but it is supposed to get you into the body of the essay.  We’ll see. Let’s work first on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Grief sherpa

Posted on February 19, 2019 by hessd

I’m a big fan of good analytical categories.  I value them in the way academics tend to, but on beyond that, I have been benefitted by them in some very personal ways.  Martin and Doka, for instance [1], distinguish between … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Let’s hear it for Iggy

Posted on February 18, 2019 by hessd

This is a celebration of Dr. Iggy Frome.  If you watch the NBC series, New Amsterdam, you already know Iggy.  He is “the psych department” at the hospital.  So far, that has mostly required him to be empathetic and cuddly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Not being afraid

Posted on February 12, 2019 by hessd

There is nothing quite like fear to inspire an ardent interest in what works. I am going to cite today two formulations that have helped me and that I have thought about. [1]  It seems odd to me, as I … Continue reading →

Posted in A life of faith, Living My Life, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 12 days of Valentine Season

Posted on February 10, 2019 by hessd

It does sound odd, I am sure.  But Lent sounded odd to me at first and so did Passion Week and Advent.  I think “the 12 Days of Christmas” sounded less odd than those.  A gift a day to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Love and Marriage | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Being friends with your adult children

Posted on February 9, 2019 by hessd

I want to begin with one of my favorite quotes from The West Wing.  Lisa Wolfe is a staffer in a Republican Senate, which controls the confirmation of federal judges.  Josh Lyman is a staffer in a Democratic White House, … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Paying Attention | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s “Groundhog Day.” Again.

Posted on February 2, 2019 by hessd

I will watch Groundhog Day again on Saturday. I watch it every year. I just don’t seem to be able to help myself. (Just kidding about that last part.) In this well-known movie, Phil Connors (Bill Murray) discovers that his … Continue reading →

Posted in Living My Life, Movies, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment