After I graduated with a BA in mathematics I started graduate school. At the same time, at the age of 20, I started an experimental theater company, Waggo Makes Connexxions. We performed in vacant lots, parks, and the county library. That’s me above, taking a bow with my troupe after our second performance. The picture […]
Roots and New Growth Read More »
As the northern hemisphere enters the colder months and today is the Winter Solstice, when the longest night prevails, I thought it appropriate to express love, loyalty, and enthusiasm for that which draws us closer to the Mystery of Life. In that spirit, I am sharing this poem by Mary Oliver: Whistling Swans Do you
There are so many issues in our world today where large-scale social change could make a great impact. During my 13 years at the World Bank, I had the opportunity to work within a small team that led an internal social change. We discovered that bringing people together who care deeply about a particular topic
Driving Social Change Read More »
This is the third pizza I made from scratch over 3 days after it came out of the oven Saturday. The first was inedible. The second tasted like bowling alley pizza. However, this one was a keeper. Every once in a while I pick a food to master and I keep making it over and
During the pandemic, it’s important to take the necessary measures: masking up and social distancing the foremost. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get out. When we have to spend so much time indoors it becomes really important that we find special times to be outdoors. During a recent trip to South Carolina my daughter,
Sometimes it can be challenging to find something to do that everyone enjoys. My wonderful wife, Laura, came up with a plan on the first day of Diwali – together we would construct a rangoli. It brought together my mother-in-law, Phyllis, a wonderful artist, with my daughter, Ruchi, who also loves visual art, and the
The Practice of Joy Read More »
My dog, Sita, is a rescue German shepherd. Her litter was abandoned in rural Virginia near the West Virginia border. I drove out to pick her up with my daughter, Ruchi, in February 2012. She was the only girl in the litter. I knew instantly she was the dog I wanted to take home. In
Rescue German Shepherd in the White House Read More »
Thich Nat Hanh is a Buddhist monk who was nominated by Martin Luther King, Jr, for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work during the American war in Viet Nam. He continues his global work to this day. I recall him telling a story once in which a protester had brought a sign for peace
Grace Under Pressure Read More »
On Saturday I dug up my entire garden. This meant pulling out the marigold bushes that were in full bloom. Undeterred by their resplendent beauty, I was dead set on using the one dry day I had in front of me to clear the plot. Out of the house came my 17-year-old daughter, Ruchi, to
When I was about eight years old I started attending synagogue on my own. At the time my mother was a Christian but not attending a church and my father was a non-practicing Jew. I must have felt the desire to be part of a religious community. I rode my bike to Sunday school, where
The Long and Winding Road Read More »
