Matthew Arnold Stern's Blog, page 46
October 2, 2016
Thank Goodness It’s Over Day
This has been the nastiest, most divisive election since they settled arguments with dueling pistols. We also have local elections as nasty as the presidential one. The good news is that it’s almost over. On November 8, we’ll have our say and, if Florida doesn’t screw up again, a new president. That’s why I’d like to …
September 24, 2016
An homage for Mr. Oliphant
While The Remainders is being considered for publication, I will post spoiler-free commentaries about the issues and themes I cover in the book. This is the third installment of the series. In The Remainders, I have a character named Mrs. Cimino. She doesn’t have a piano (but she has a whole lot of other problems). She is an …
September 22, 2016
The invisible
While The Remainders is being considered for publication, I will post spoiler-free commentaries about the issues and themes I cover in the book. This is the second installment of the series. I confess: I don’t see them either. I know they’re there. They hold up cardboard signs as they stand at the exits of shopping malls. They sit in back …
September 16, 2016
Why I can’t write a roman à clef
While The Remainders is being considered for publication, I will post spoiler-free commentaries about the issues and themes I cover in the book. This is the first installment of the series. The Remainders is a personal story, but it is not a roman à clef. You won’t be able to say Character A = Person …
August 31, 2016
What is good technology — The trouble with obsolescence
Next week, Apple will announce a bunch of new products. But I couldn’t wait for Tim Cook to unveil the new MacBook Pro that has been rumored about for months. I had to replace mine before the logic board died completely. I had my early-2011 15-inch MacBook Pro for nearly 4 1/2 years. That’s usually considered a …
August 28, 2016
Investing in retrospect
My dad died on August 31, 1986. This week not only marks the 30th anniversary of his death, I’m now as old as he was when he died. This has given me a lot to think about. I didn’t have a good relationship with my dad when he was alive, and I had a hard time reconciling …
August 22, 2016
My visit to the Little Free Library
Ever hear of the Little Free Library? If you haven’t, it’s a worthwhile program that encourages reading and builds communities. If you’re a writer, it’s also a good way to get the word out about your books. Recently, I visited a new Little Free Library in my community of Lake Forest, California. I wanted to …
August 14, 2016
All right, Rams. I’ll give you a second chance.
I wasn’t too happy at first about the Rams returning to Los Angeles. It wasn’t because I didn’t like football or the Rams. I loved the Rams growing up. They were my NFL team. I loved Merlin Olsen, Rosie Grier, Roman Gabriel, Vince Ferragamo, Eric Dickerson, and all of those Youngbloods. I loved them when they …
August 7, 2016
The right book at the right time
Sometimes, the right book comes at the right time. In my case, it is The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. It came into my life at a difficult time. A family crisis showed me the limits of seeking perfection and others’ approval. I found myself marking up and dog-earing that book in a way I …
August 4, 2016
“Let’s be human to one another.”
As an American, I dread the next few months. We are in the midst of the most divisive and vitriolic presidential elections in my lifetime. The ugliness that has been spouted by politicians and partisan media has been soaked up my friends. People I usually respect are now posting articles on social media I find reprehensible. I’ve tried …
