Personal expressions of the world around us through text, sight and sound.


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    • NOTE: Based on the number of articles found and other filter settings, the Date Scope may be adjusted automatically. However, in most cases you can still use the form to choose a specific range.
  3. Author--regular contributors are listed by name; "special" is used for ocassional or one-time authors. (They are idenitified by name in the article list using a "byline" field in the database).
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    Even though we try to keep the number of topics limited and as general as possible, the list of topics is long and constantly growing simply because of the wide scope of content covered by aritcles on the site. A good alternative to using the drop-down list is to click on a topic from the Summary View of the Article List, or the category and topic summary at the top of an Article.
    NOTE: Because topics are added over time, some topics may not be associated with earlier articles to which they could apply. From time to time, we update category and topic links.
  6. Keywords
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Viewing the Results

In addition to the "Most Recent" and "Top Articles" lists, there are three Views of the searchable Article List: (where you are now):

  1. Quick. Shows Categories in alphabetical order, with a list of articles by post date (most recent first), title, author. This is the default view. Return to it anytime by selecting "Clear Filter" in the Article Filter.
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  3. Summary. Expands a single Category to include a brief description of each article, the primary category, and any topics assigned to it.

Actions from the Article List

  • Click on an Article title to view it.
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  • Click on a Category name to expand the list into Summary View, which will include more detals about the articles within that Category, including the topics associated with it.
    • If you have selected "All" in the Article Scope, the initial Summary View will reset the Article Scope to "This Collection only." From there, you can go back to "All" if desired.
  • Click on a Topic name (Summary View) to see recent articles associated with that topic. From there you can expand to "All" articles or narrow the search using the Filter.
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Actions from the Article (listing of Categories and Topics at top of Article)

  • Click on the Category or a Topic and you will be taken to the Article List page with the search filter set accordingly. (The notes under Article List also apply here).

Printing the List or individual Articles

Using Print this page at the upper left will print the content displayed in the Articles List or an individual Article, without any of the surrounding page elements. The filter form in the list view is replaced with a summary of the filter settings.

Please note: Using the "Print this page" option is highly recommended over the print options available through the Share utility (described below).

Additional Hint: On some smaller devices you may find it helpful to use the Print option to display a simpler content-only view. Depending on the device, you may not actually be able to print, but it may produce a view that is easier to read. You will need to close the print window to get back to the site navigation.

Sharing and Commenting on Article Lists and Individual Articles

There is a lot of discussion about the merits of commenting within a site. At this time we have decided not to integrate it into the site. The AddThis Share utility that appears at the upper left on the page as well as at the end of articles allows you to share the selected page through Facebook, Twitter, and more than 200 other social media services. Most of these options allow you to add comments.

You can also comment through the site's own social media connections, which are linked through the icons in the site masthead (only active social media accounts are shown).


21 articles found.

SUMMARY VIEW  Expanded details within a Category. Click on article title, Category, or a listed Topic

To change sort order or make another search, modify the form above

Aging, General

 1 record found

'It is what it is' by Ken Potts


(September 15, 2019)
The truth behind the phrase…
Topics: Change • Communication • Language, Meaning • Metaphors, Life Lessons • Relationships



Arts & Entertainment

 1 record found

Forget About Songwriting: Try Fiction by Garrison Keillor


(August 19, 2022)
My ambition had been to write limericks, but thank goodness I gave that up. There’s no money in it, just misery.…
Topics: Arts & Entertainment • Communication • Media • Music • Writing



Communication

 3 records found

In Georgia, Taking Shelter from the Storm by Garrison Keillor


(February 3, 2022)
The beauty of small talk…
Topics: Circumstances, Life Events • Communication • Contentment, Satsifaction • Language, Meaning • Relationships • Travel


English Spelling is Ridiculous by Sally Davies / Aeon


(August 7, 2021)
Why is the English spelling system so weird and inconsistent? Yet, most people use it with surprising accuracy…
Topics: Communication • History • Language, Meaning • Technology • Writing


Express Yourself Submitted by Stu Johnson


(May 30, 2020)
Ageless Authors and its newest writing contest 'Coping with Crisis'…
Topics: Communication • Coping • COVID-19 • Crisis • Opportunity • Writing



Faith, Religion & Spirituality

 1 record found

Un-Taming the Tension by George Garrison


(September 3, 2020)
Some tension can and should be held without causing major dissension…
Topics: Civility • Communication • COVID-19 • Current Events, News • Faith • Racism and Inequality • Relationships



General

 2 records found

A Weekend in the Wilds of Connecticut by Garrison Keillor


(June 24, 2022)
I have seen some of the future lately and I must admit it’s very appealing to me…
Topics: Communication • Contentment, Satsifaction • Family • Travel


Wonderful Words submitted by Stu Johnson


(January 27, 2020)
…that take a whole sentence to convey in English…
Topics: Communication • Language, Meaning



Government & Politics

 1 record found

It's Democracy, Folks, Learn to Love It! by Garrison Keillor


(March 7, 2024)
Politics is not an orderly business like cosmetic dentistry or carpentry, it is more like pond hockey or maybe a conclave of sociopaths or an ostrich jubilee, and the messiness can drive you crazy…
Topics: Civility • Communication • Contemplation, Insight • Diversity & Pluralism • Politics • Social Issues



Life Events

 3 records found

Mature Man Available for Speaking, Easy Terms by Garrison Keillor


(March 14, 2024)
I am one of America's few remaining octogenarian stand-up comics, still able to stand for up to two hours, even three, and in the current comedy crop, I am a classicist…
Topics: Communication • Contemplation, Insight • Humor • Optimal Aging • Wisdom


A Lovely Lunch Last Week in New Haven by Garrison Keillor


(June 22, 2023)
At lunch with a pregnant woman, you talk about ordinary life, family, summer, the food, the elation of the kids at the graduation we’d attended that morning and the pride of their parents, and we never set foot in politics at all…
Topics: Circumstances, Life Events • Communication • Contentment, Satsifaction • Optimal Aging • Relationships


A Walk in the Park in April by Garrison Keillor


(April 20, 2023)
It strikes me as sad, walking around Central Park on a paradise spring day, the cherry trees in full blossom . . . so much public happiness, to think of the cloud of bitterness over this generous country…
Topics: Communication • Contemplation, Insight • Contentment, Satsifaction • Gratitute • Leisure • Nature • Politics • Seasons • Social Issues • Social Media • Social Movements



News & Current Events

 4 records found

Gay Pride Prompts Sad, Shameful Aniomisty by James N. Watkins


(June 16, 2023)
May I offer a compromise to the sad and shameful animosity between those celebrating June as “Gay Pride Month” and those who believe that homosexuality is a moral “abomination.”
Topics: Attitudes • Beliefs • Change • Communication • Current Events, News • News • Relationships • Social Issues • Social Movements


Why I Am Not Joining the Strike by Garrison Keillor


(May 11, 2023)
I salute the Hollywood writers who went out on strike this past week but I can tell you that we essayists won't be joining them…
Topics: Arts & Entertainment • Communication • Current Events, News • Language, Meaning • Media • News • Popular Culture • Writing


Mobs and the Workplace by Veronique De Rugy


(July 30, 2020)
'Cancel Culture' needs to slow down…
Topics: Communication • Current Events, News • Freedom • Language, Meaning • News • Racism and Inequality • Social Issues • Social Movements


About Those Numbers by Stu Johnson


(May 19, 2020)
Putting COVID-19 numbers in perspective…
Topics: Communication • COVID-19 • Crisis • Dying and Death • Disease • Ethics & Morality • Media • News • Research • Social Issues • Trust • Writing



Relationships

 3 records found

The Old Man's Lecture: Manners (Boring) by Garrison Keillor


(March 2, 2023)
It was a beautiful little scene of civility…
Topics: Civility • Communication • Relationships • Social Issues • Travel


A Foolproof Recipe for Dealing with the 'Turkeys' in Your Life by Greg Asimakoupoulos


(December 2, 2021)
Dealing with the 'joy thieves' who steal your sense of well-being and rob you of peace of mind…
Topics: Character, Integrity • Communication • Faith • Holidays • Holiday Season • Memories • Relationships • Thanks, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving


Uniting the Charlie Browns by Wes Wick


(January 12, 2016)
Lessons in unity as I take down my 'Charlie Brown' Christmas tree…
Topics: Christmas • Communication • Faith • Holidays • Metaphors, Life Lessons • Relationships



Travel

 2 records found

Crossing the Flats, Looking for Mountans by Garrison Keillor


(August 31, 2023)
Kansas flew past me, long stretches of brush and wild grassland as we headed west under an overcast sky, the train rocking as we rolled, an occasional coulee, no crossroads for miles and miles…
Topics: Communication • Contemplation, Insight • History • Memories • Nature • Relationships • Travel


The Little Known Benefits of Raw Oytsers Perhaps by Garrison Keillor


(February 17, 2022)
It was a very happy day in Easton…
Topics: Circumstances, Life Events • Communication • Contentment, Satsifaction • Food & Nuitrition • Humor • Relationships • Travel