It Was Bound to Happen
It was bound to happen. You can’t go this many days without it. A mini-meltdown. No, not the kids. Me. I had a mini-meltdown in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. I have my reasons, but as I recount them they don’t seem to fully justify my behavior. First of all….it’s hot in Paris. I mean really hot. This is the hottest, driest spring they’ve had since 1901, or so I’m told. Paris is crammed to the brim with people. I know it’s the front end of the high season, and it’s the finals of the French Open. To the French, that’s more important than our Super Bowl and World Series in one. And they’ve come from...Why 12?
This is another posting on the delights and trepidations of travel with grandchildren upon attainment of their twelfth year. This year we have two coming of age (so to speak), and decided with some concern, to do a twofer. When I’ve explained this to others, I’m generally met with raised eyebrows and an implied, “are you nuts”, and in a way, we are. S. and I in the fall of our years, cherishing privacy, an afternoon nap, a cocktail or two before dinner, and a schedule dictated only by our whims taking on the task of traveling with and entertaining a young boy and girl teetering between childhood and adolescence. At this age they know nothing and they know...Phillipines Redux
In May of 2007 I published my first blog on the Philippines which dealt, more or less, with the history of the country. I had always intended to write another piece on the people and popular culture, but like so many other good intentions, I never got around to it. Too many other horses to ride so to speak. I’ve been in the Philippines for the last several days, and finally have had an opportunity to experience and see the Philippines and Filipinos from a different perspective. As some of you may know, I’ve been serving on the board of a company which is listed on both the Philippine Stock Exchange and NASDAQ and has the majority of his operations in...