Category Archives: Words

Biases, folded in and folded out

Posted on October 7, 2016 by hessd

Where on earth did we get the idea that we ought to be unbiased? Or that we could possibly be unbiased? I have never understood that. [1] There was a time, not all that long ago, when everyone in the … Continue reading →

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

Yesterday when it is past

Posted on October 4, 2016 by hessd

Today I would like to tell you about some surprises I have encountered in moving from one kind of life to another. That sounds more momentous that it would really need to but I am going to start with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Living My Life, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Official Sexism

Posted on September 29, 2016 by hessd

As you can tell from the title, I have a grievance in mind for today. After such a long struggle for gender equality, it grieves me that we have given it up so easily.[1] Ah well. This morning, I had … Continue reading →

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

Civil Discourse is our “Commons”

Posted on August 29, 2016 by hessd

Did you ever have that terrific feeling when you pick up an article that makes brilliantly, the case you have been making poorly for years? I just had that feeling. How I missed “The Coddling of the American Mind” by … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Politics, Sustainability, Words | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Pacific Retirement Services

Posted on August 19, 2016 by hessd

For a lot of people, the word pacific is always capitalized (Pacific) and refers to a body of water just west of California. Nothing wrong with that as far as it goes, but it doesn’t really go very far. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Words | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Black Quarterbacks

Posted on January 29, 2016 by hessd

How do blacks act? I think that is a genuinely stupid question. I wouldn’t put it in this essay at all if I didn’t hear it on the radio most days.  Ordinarily it isn’t said; it is presumed. Last weekend, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Words | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy New Year

Posted on December 2, 2015 by hessd

Happy new year to all. As you know, there are as many different calendars as there are reasons to establish a cycle of days. We think first of the annual calendar. [1] It starts in January, to honor Janus, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Living My Life, Words | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Is the U. S. “anti-immigrant?”

Posted on November 26, 2015 by hessd

Not exactly. But “anti-immigrant” is just a political spitball. It is not intended to and it does not, in fact, help anyone understand what is at stake here. Let me start with the passage that helped me start thinking about … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Society, Sustainability, Words | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Victim Blaming and Claire McCaskill

Posted on August 22, 2015 by hessd

This is going to look like a reflection about dress codes. It isn’t really. Or, on the other side, about sexual harassment. It isn’t that either. It is an extended plea for an understanding of communication as communication actually happens. … Continue reading →

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

Women Who Love Too Much

Posted on August 3, 2015 by hessd

In 1985, Robin Norwood wrote a book called Women Who Love Too Much. My immediate response was, “Oh dear. She’s redefining what love means.” I haven’t read the book, but I still dislike the title. Is it really possible to … Continue reading →

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