Pandora's Other Box

  NOTE FROM THE “EDITOR-IN-CHIEF”. (also known as the the loud guy, janitor, gofer and overall do-it-all person) As a language tutor, it is indeed my privilege to get to know my students fairly well, for most of the classes are on a one-on-one basis and it gives us ample face to face time. Also, some have been with me in one way or another or some time, so there is a friendly and trusting rapport which is established along the way. This, in turn leads the classes into occasional moments of quiet conversation or even guidance efforts ( no, I am not a psychologist, just an old guy with a lot of years of people management experience ) and with all the needed “caveats” in place, we talk. This was the case this morning, in an individual class. I shared this in the school’s FB page and thought that it might be worth an inclusion in this hallowed ( not “hollowed” ) blog. THE PRIVILEGE OF MAKING DECISIONS. Very often we come to think, when a decision taken in best interests does not ...

  There was this doctor I came to know while living in Chile for a year of Sundays, back in the 1980’s. That stay has been explored elsewhere in these meanderings, so I will just talk about the doctor, whom I will call Patricio (a good, solid name and not uncommon in Chile ). He was a general practitioner and, as such, had been well recommended to us by a common friend. This turned out to be a good recommendation for he not only became our doctor, but eventually we struck a friendship with him and his family. After some visits to his office, followed by the eventual striking of a friendly banter relationship, one day Patricio called me and asked whether we would like to come to their home for dinner with him and his wife. This was a way to formalize the friendship, as it were, for in Chile back then ( God Lord, I’m beginning to sound like an old man… Don’t you say a word!! ) society was managed by certain protocols; home invitations, when extended, were indicative of a desire to...

  It has been sometime since I last sat by the water at Wally’s Pond. For those of you who have not been to Wally’s Pond before ( actually, you have all been invited … you just haven’t joined me ), let me tell you that it is a placid, tranquil place where the water is clean and clear, the birds chirp, there are no outside noises and it never rains. And in case you have not guessed it, this wonderful place is in my mind; the place where I sometimes manage to hide for a little while from all the unwanted events that are happening around me. And God only knows there have been plenty of those resonating in the last few months. At my age, it is an achievement of sorts to be able to get by without any medications at all. Or so the doctors tell me. Blood pressure, heartbeat, oxygen count … check. Cholesterol, a tad high … not enough to worry about it. Weight … being managed. Yes, a few too many apple pies with ice cream but, hey … if we have to go down, let’s enjoy it!!   The onl...