PinnedChristl and the Icon PantiesHer panties suddenly fell down to her ankles — Christl liked to tell this story on herself. A local Catholic church brought in an expert to teach a series of workshops on painting religious icons. Icons are not considered works of art, and they offer no opportunity for individual expression. Icons are meant to serve as windows into the…Relationships2 min readRelationships2 min read
PinnedA Myth that Guided Christl’s LifeA Myth that Guided Christl’s Life The story of Baucis and Philemon As a girl, Christl read. Books became her escape from the rubble of bombed-out Vienna after World War II and from the bombed-out psyches of the adults around her. …Mythology5 min readMythology5 min read
PinnedMember-onlyHome Birth, Home DeathShe panted at times as if to give birth again — only this time to deliver herself from this life By Gerald Grow After the ultrasound and a visit to the birth center, Christl, who would be 41 at the time of the birth, turned to me and announced, “I’m…Mwc Death8 min readMwc Death8 min read
Published in The Startup·PinnedSeven Types of Paragraph DevelopmentAnnotated examples of narration, exposition, definition, classification, description, process analysis, and persuasion. — by Gerald Grow When people use language, they don’t reinvent it every time they want to say something. They use certain recurring forms of communication. These forms work because both the speaker and the listener understand how to use them as a way of thinking. …Writing12 min readWriting12 min read
PinnedMeditating with NatureBuild your day around the rhythms of the day. Forget clock-time, and make time to respond to what the day presents you. The greatest symphony in the world happens as the pre-dawn light rises into day and the sun comes up to the songs of birds. …Meditation4 min readMeditation4 min read
Jan 2Member-only99 Positive Feedback PhrasesGood job! — Well, look at you go! — SPLENDID! I compiled these items — known at the time as “attaboys” — while helping write online instruction. Because I thought of myself as self-directed, I was doubtful of all this silly positive reinforcement. But I came to see its value. …Teaching3 min readTeaching3 min read
Dec 19, 2022Member-onlySomething to Try for DepressionAn unlikely suggestion — When I was young and prone to periodic depression, I stumbled into something that helped. And even though I have mentioned this to dozens of people, I have not been able to persuade anyone to try it — because it is the weirdest, most unlikely recommendation you’ll hear: Lettuce. If…Depression2 min readDepression2 min read
Oct 11, 2022Member-onlyHer Own Bank AccountWhat a cat taught me about being free When Christl moved across country to marry me — leaving her life there for a place where I was the only person she knew — I gave her a bank account. It was a modest account. She had no money, and I…Relationships4 min readRelationships4 min read
Oct 10, 2022Member-onlyOpening to the Sufferings of the WorldLike being torn to pieces, then put back together again — In my late 20s, I found a therapist who understood why, after honing cognitive skills to the level of a PhD, I would seek help to get out of my head and deal with the emotional cost of so much learning — someone who would not laugh when I announced…Empathy5 min readEmpathy5 min read
Apr 25, 2022Member-onlyThe Final Exam Brownies“The… the…” she explained as she first tilted, “… the…” — When I began teaching in San Francisco in the late 1960s, the university required each class to meet at the scheduled final exam, whether having an exam or not. Students in my modern poetry class had written term papers, so we did not have a final exam. …College2 min readCollege2 min read
