Category Archives: Commentary

It’s 2:30 a.m., and the house is quiet. This house is quiet— not like the last one. The old house always had noise. Subtle, yes, but constant— a language of creaks and sighs, branches tapping glass, timber pressing against timber, … Continue reading →

I am pondering the bones of an idea. While watching videos of artists working in graphite, I often see the same beginning: a skull. As if the foundation of every portrait must begin in death. Like forensic experts, the artist … Continue reading →

One of my favorite Da Vinci paintings is The Lady with an Ermine. It’s housed in a museum in Kraków, but it’s been widely published and researched for years. Painted around 1490, it depicts Cecilia Gallerani—a young woman of intelligence … Continue reading →

A long-time friend wrote a few pages about his years in the High Sierra. The following is a summary of his late evening thoughts before the next day of hiking. Fears Beyond the edge of wonderment there’s always a wisp … Continue reading →

You move it with your spiritual hands to the ground beside you. Though it stays heavy, you are free to walk away. Forgiveness isn’t magic. It doesn’t erase what happened. It doesn’t wave a wand and make the weight disappear. … Continue reading →

A snippet on the radio, out of context, where someone declared an object completely useless. It caused me to ponder. Things that are made, are generally made for a purpose, thereby the objects are given the label “useful”. Often, the … Continue reading →

Preface We speak of learning as a path, as if it were a road that leads to a finished place. Edge Theory of Learning refuses that map. It says: the center is where things go to sleep. Stay at the … Continue reading →

I was pondering time spent since I was 16. 60 years is a reasonably large chunk of time and activity. Naturally this is not linear, but overlapping, most times twice, sometimes three or four. I quickly came up with an … Continue reading →

I’ve been thinking about IMHO—“In My Humble Opinion.” At first glance, it seems harmless. Modest. Polite. But the more I sit with it, the more I see it’s not always honest. Especially not the “humble” part. Because let’s face it—humility’s … Continue reading →

Today I Was Naked Posted on March 16, 2021 by johndiestler At my age this would not be a pretty sight. Maybe at any age. But I’m not talking about clothing, I’m talking about leaving the house without my cellphone. Now if you … Continue reading →