Matthew Arnold Stern's Blog, page 52
April 22, 2015
Seven things you may not know about my writing life…
This post was inspired by an email from Bette Lee Crosby, author of Amazon 5-star rated Memory House and other heart-warming books. She wrote “Seven things you may not know about my writing life.” That got me inspired to write my own list. I write with a laptop, so I’m free to write wherever I like. …
April 8, 2015
How to offend people
This cartoon caused a firestorm on a social media site. I drew this cartoon for my high school newspaper, the Regent Review, in 1979. When I posted it recently, someone wrote a comment that offended a lot of people (including me). Someone got so upset, he demanded that I delete the post or he would report it to …
March 29, 2015
“Do work that satisfies you…”
I always find the most interesting things when I clean the garage. The image above is from a fragment of a June 1990 journal I wrote for my soon-to-be wife Elizabeth. She was frustrated by the job she had at the time and asked for my advice on how to deal with it. I was seven …
March 21, 2015
We need more cute villains!
Warning: This post contains spoilers. My wife bought one of those Disney Tsum Tsum plush toys at the Disney Store. These are Disney characters compressed into a pill shape for maximum cuteness. The Prospector from Toy Story 2 caught her eye. When she bought it, the sales clerk said, “You know, he’s the villain.” My …
March 12, 2015
Why I’m not buying an Apple Watch…right now
I consider myself a tech savvy guy, but I’m not an early adopter. The first personal computers came out in 1977, but I didn’t buy my Commodore 64 until 1983 — after the price dropped to USD 299. The Motorola DynaTAC was introduced in 1984, but I didn’t get my first cell phone until 1999, …
February 28, 2015
Spock: The outsider as hero
Tributes have been pouring in for Leonard Nimoy, who died on February 27. Nimoy was more than just Mr. Spock. He was a poet, playwright, photographer, and humanitarian. He was an artist of uncompromising integrity, and he stood up for his fellow actors. However, Spock will always remain Nimoy’s most enduring legacy. In creating this …
January 8, 2015
Je Suis Charlie…and many more
I join in the voices condemning the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris. We must also realize that this is not an isolated incident. In 2014, 61 journalists were killed. Marcos de Barros Leopoldo Guerra was a blogger who called out local officials in Brazil for corruption. He was killed by unidentified assailants on a …
December 22, 2014
Why “Let It Go” Best Represents 2014
I usually write my year-end parody this time of year, but we already have a song that best fits 2014: “Let It Go” from Frozen. It’s not just because “Let It Go” has been heard everywhere (especially if you have children). When you look at the lyrics and the context of the song, you’ll see why it inspires …
December 18, 2014
1. Angels We Have Heard on High
During December, I’m posting my Top 10 favorite holiday songs. Each song has a special story or meaning behind it for me. What stories or meanings do you have for your favorite holiday songs? My number one song “Angels We Have Heard on High” combines all of the great features from the rest of the songs on …
December 16, 2014
2. Grown-Up Christmas List
During December, I’m posting my Top 10 favorite holiday songs. Each song has a special story or meaning behind it for me. What stories or meanings do you have for your favorite holiday songs? This song is different from the others on my list. It is the only one I didn’t sing, and it has more of …
