Cocooning

In the face of global turmoil, including (but not limited to) wars, famine, civil unrest and abnormal weather patterns, I have joined the revolution.

Like millions of other middle-class Americans, I am cocooning. It seems like the only thing to do, after casting one’s ballot and praying for peace. Is this the genesis of the modern drive to fix up our homes? I can’t think about it, I have a backsplash to tile.

I have a soft spot in my heart for found treasures. Where others see a bland Formica backsplash, I see a blank canvas for a colorful mosaic. One man’s cast-off Barcelona chair recently became my re-upholstered mid-century classic.

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Veterans Day summons devotion

Veterans Day and its older sibling, Memorial Day, are days of ambiguity and paradox for devotees of the peace and justice movement.

On one hand, we want to join in commemorating the sacrifices so many Americans have made on our behalf. But it is also true that our presence on such days causes discomfort to some, and I can understand why.

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