Matthew Arnold Stern's Blog, page 18
June 2, 2022
“Am I a good ally?”
This is Pride Month, or as my brother Randy would put it, “the busiest month of the whole year.” He has his hands full with managing the Pride issue of Lavender Magazine, taking part in community events, and keeping up with his automotive work. And he’s moving this month. Wow! You would think that someone […]
May 28, 2022
Love it or leave it?
The news from Uvalde is too painful to bear. Instead, I want to talk about termites. We have a termite problem at our house because it has a wood frame and exposed beams. This is one of many genius decisions the builders of our house made 50 years ago. Normally, homeowners only deal with termites […]
May 16, 2022
Even now, we must hold on to hope
It was an awful weekend of an awful year. In addition to the white supremacist terrorist attack in Buffalo, another mass shooting took place down the road from us in Laguna Woods. Another hate-fueled man drove hundreds of miles to kill innocent people because of who they are. It’s easy to fall into despair at times […]
May 3, 2022
It was never about “pro-life”
By now, everyone has given their hot take about the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v Wade. Instead, I want to make a confession. If you went to Cal State Northridge in the 80s, you might remember a large glass case in Sierra Tower. Campus organizations can promote their groups by putting a display […]
April 30, 2022
You win some. You lose some.
Welp, The Remainders didn’t place in this year’s Eric Hoffer Book Awards contest. With 2,500 entries, it was far from a sure shot. From the times I was on the other side of the judging table, I know how tough it is to pick a winner. One book might have a slight edge over another that […]
April 20, 2022
The privilege to do right
It’s Earth Day when we’re all exhorted to “save the planet.” But as George Carlin pointed out long ago, it’s not the earth that needs saving. Humanity does. We need to keep the planet habitable for ourselves. That’s the real reason we’re concerned about the environment—and we get frustrated by those who aren’t. Why do […]
April 14, 2022
I really need to get back to writing
The problem with being a writer? You must do plenty of things other than writing. I have to keep up with my social media. (I need to make the most of Twitter before Elon Musk turns it into another one of his ego strokes). I must keep track of my promotional efforts. Take advantage of […]
April 2, 2022
In praise of modest goals
I had several achievements last month. I finally passed the $100 threshold to get paid from Google AdSense. I made over a dollar for the first time in the Medium Partner Program. I have over 300 followers on TikTok and 3,500 on Twitter. As big of a deal as these are to me, others would […]
March 25, 2022
To fight for freedom there, fight for it here
The Ukrainian people’s courageous defense of their homeland has inspired the world. President Zelenskyy’s recent speech to the US Congress brought a thunderous standing ovation from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. You will hear the Ukrainian national anthem at sports arenas and concert halls around the world. Landmarks are lit up in Ukrainian blue and […]
March 14, 2022
Do svidaniya
Disclaimer: The following is solely my personal opinion. It does not reflect the views of my employers past and present. There is much to mourn about Ukraine. One of them is the closing of the door between Russia and us. Even if a resolution happens soon, that door will be closed for a long time. […]
