Loose Leaf Notes

1. I played Musical Chairs at a lawn party recently. It came down to two of us and I was a runner-up. I felt like I was on American Idol.

2. I still like to name the fireworks. So many this year looked like scenes from James Webb telescope. More HERE.

3. While our porch is coming down our garden is growing up.

4. My daughter-in-law, a librarian, has a sense of humor. Her last post read: “Please do not paint your nails in a conference session. That is all.”

5.  I love Science Fiction but it’s been losing its appeal since the state of the world with AI, Climate Change and the insanity of Trump, who seems more like science fiction than reality.

6. Soundbites break skin / What isn’t said blares loudly / I watch the burning house / with people inside it / They show engulfed bodies / then move to feel-good fluff / while the warden tries to convince me / the firefighters are the enemy – Read Nightly News Prison Break, from Objects are Closer Than They Appear, in its entirety HERE.

7. I’m enjoying Mark Knofler’s new album, One Deep River. I could listen to him all day. This from his webpage: “The title track reflects Knopfler’s deep affection for the river that ran through not just through his childhood, but his whole life. ‘Crossing the Tyne is always on your mind,’ he says. ‘It’s what you were doing when you were leaving as a youngster and that feeling is always the same every time you do it. You’re heading out or you’re coming back, and it just connects with your childhood. The power of it doesn’t go away.’”

8. He had me at “the smart money ain’t on your dog now…” and ‘there’s a place in the song where he sings about the “beautiful redwood where my guitar came from.”

9. “Down on the river, the wind’s turned cool / It’s blowing all the way from Boston to Liverpool / At least the summer knows when to take a bow / Groovy nights and golden days / Feel they could might just slip away / And the smart money ain’t on your dog now / Ain’t on your dog now…” One Deep River

10. “You are one deep river, old friend / One deep river, amen / You’re one deep river, old friend / One deep river, amen / The wild geese are flying into the west / And your soul is heading to its rest / But your light will keep on burning like that evening star / And your song will keep returning wherever you are…” One Deep River

11. My dad had two answers when ask ‘how are you doing, Dad?’ On a good day he’d say, “I got out of bed this morning. I’m ahead of the game.” On a not so good day his answer was, “It’s a rocky boat.”

12. “Story of an old man in love: I am a happy man in love for many years with one woman who is from my hometown, who grew up a stone’s throw from my high school but was only three years old at the time, so I had to marry someone else while I waited to meet her as an adult. We are happy together and contented and though we disagree on numerous matters such as oatmeal (I love, she loathes), we live in harmony because I acknowledge that she is probably right. It isn’t the oatmeal I love but the brown sugar and raisins.” Garrison Keillor

13. “A baby’s cry is not just noise—it’s language. It’s how they say, “I’m scared,” “I’m hungry,” “Hold me.” But when no one responds, something inside begins to break. Science shows that babies left to cry without comfort can suffer deep, invisible wounds. Stress floods their body. Their tiny brains—still growing—learn that the world may not listen. This is how emotional neglect gets written into biology. Over time, these babies may grow up anxious, distant, struggling to trust or focus. Their immune systems weaken. Their hormones go off-balance. Not because of a single bad moment—but because no one came when it mattered most. This isn’t about spoiling. It’s about survival. Love shapes the brain. Touch shapes the nervous system. Comfort teaches safety. And when we respond, when we pick them up, we don’t just soothe—we protect. We build resilient minds and strong hearts. Because every cry answered is a brick in the foundation of a healthy, whole human being.” Imran Ali

_______Thirteen Thursday