Blog
An Autumn Break
Due to several work projects and writing deadlines, I’ll be taking a break from the blog for the remainder of September. Never fear, dear reader, I shall return in October. In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy (and comment upon) some of my past posts.
A Paean to a City
The seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic has shredded municipal budgets and tax bases. A regular cycle of news stories darkly speculate as to the health of the American city. Essential services–mass transit, public parks, schools–seem imperiled. The current presidential administration and its conservative allies delight at the situation. At best, the future of our cites seem…
A Different Spread
Wealthy New Yorkers fleeing COVID-19 set off a chain reaction of displacement and cultural loss in rural New York and other regions. Artists and the creative class might receive blame for the dramatic changes in their communities. However, artists seldom win in stories of gentrification.
Walking: A Re-Discovered Joy
Last week, I walked to the Village neighborhood in downtown Jersey City for the first time since the pandemic began in March. Although this slice of the city is only a twenty- or thirty-minute stroll from my home, I felt as if I was embarking upon a great quest or journey. During the past five…
Picks from the Hermitage
Like many Americans, my daily life has centered around my home since the pandemic began this past spring. I miss seeing friends and family and sharing traditions and moments with them. The pandemic has slowed life down for many of us, and that might be a welcome change. Rarely venturing beyond my own neighborhood provides…
Statues for Whom?
Statues stand as markers or symbols of how we publicly view history. They sit in our parks and and in front of our public buildings. Before the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, few of us likely paid much attention to them as we walked to work, returned a library book, or reported…
Founding Fathers: A July 4th Reflection
COVID-19 continues to rage across wide swathes of America. Necessary social distancing prevents traditional picnics and cookouts. Meanwhile, a national wave of protests spurred by the killing of George Floyd has initiated a discussion of our history, specifically our country’s legacy of racism and slavery. This Independence Day will be very different.
A Fig Tree in Summer
A backyard fig tree prompts a reflection on gardening, nature, and place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and self-isolation.
Stepping Into the Past
Most summer weekends, I like to explore neighborhoods and sites throughout the New York metro area. Although states are easing COVID-19 restrictions, I don’t foresee my explorations resuming this summer. The laissez-faire attitude toward mask-wearing by much of the public does not leave me with a sense of safety, let alone adventure.
Solace in the Garden
Amid the distressing events of the past weeks and days–ongoing pandemic, massive unemployment, police violence, civic unrest, and horrible presidential leadership, I’ve found it challenging to concentrate and write. My subjects have grown smaller in scope and range, largely focusing on the happenings of nature in my wife’s and my backyard.
Happy Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day! Although hosting a cookout with friends or holding a picnic with extended family might be impossible this year, try to make the most of the holiday.
Plants & Animals
One recent morning, I wandered through my small backyard in Jersey City, New Jersey, reflecting upon the sudden changes and transformations wrought by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The wheels of modern life have ground to a halt. All the while, the natural world continues with its cycles of birth and death, regeneration and decay. Blinded…
One Morning’s Impressions
During the past several weeks, I’ve commented upon the vibrancy and reassertion of nature in my urban neighborhood amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Most of my thoughts are drawn from my observations in my own backyard. Being largely home-bound like most of the country, my world has dramatically shrunk. That is not necessarily an unwelcome…
Springtime in the City
Every season brings particular pleasures and rituals. During the early days of spring, I always enjoy strolling through my neighborhood and observing buildings and streets waking from winter. Gardeners clean up their flower beds. Homeowners tidy their front stoops. Friends chat on park benches. You can feel the energy and expectancy in the air.
Nature Creeps In
Recently, I looked up from writing at my desk and spotted a cardinal pecking at the dirt in my yard–a bold movement of color on the dark mulch and earth. The site captivated me.
Happy Easter!
Wishing a happy and healthy Easter to you and your families. Although the COVID-19 pandemic might curtail your normal holiday traditions, I hope that you’re observing them in different and creative ways.
Coping with COVID-19
Like many people across the United States, my wife and I have been practicing social distancing and self-isolation since the COVID-19 pandemic began several weeks ago. This marks my fifth week and her fourth week working remotely. We leave our house as little as possible. We miss sitting in our favorite neighborhood cafe. We miss…
Sapientia: Another Blog
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, my office has been working remotely and we postponed a promising calendar of events. Prompted by social distancing and self-isolation, we’re developing novel content to virtually reach audiences. We’re still learning what works and what we realistically might accomplish. One experiment is our new blog, Sapientia.
Charles Burchfield: Nature & the City
A Christmas or two ago, my wife gave me a copy of Blistering Visions: Charles E. Burchfield’s Sublime American Landscape, a catalog accompanying a 2016 exhibition commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Burchfield Penny Art Center in Buffalo, New York.
A Booklover’s Paradise
My friend and I enjoyed a recent Friday evening at the Morgan Library & Museum. We approached our visit with a seriousness and devotion associated with a religious pilgrimage.
The Metropole: New Writing
The Metropole, the official blog of the Urban History Association, recently published a post by me. The blog features scholars and writers approaching urban history from a variety of disciplines and viewpoints. My piece details how I first learned about the former 111 1st Street arts community in Jersey City, New Jersey and how I…
Jersey City Funding the Arts? Maybe
Recently, the Jersey City council approved a ballot referendum for creating an arts trust fund in Jersey City. The proposal would dedicate permanent revenue for local arts and culture organizations. A small additional property tax would collect an estimated $800,000 to $1,000,000 per year–all for the arts.
Happy Presidents’ Day
Happy Presidents’ Day! Take a moment to read a biography or watch a documentary on your favorite president this holiday. You don’t need to restrict your intellectual curiosity to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. American presidential history is full of complicated, contradictory, compelling, and even admirable figures. Discover one.
Star Wars on Your Radio Dial
Last October, I moderated “Jedi & Jesuits,” a whip-smart panel discussing the philosophical, religious, and spiritual underpinnings of the Stars Wars universe. A fun night!
Dyspeptic Observations
During the past year, I have experienced the luxury of conducting research at the New York Public Library, one of the world’s great collections. When I need a break from my work, I wander through the library’s halls, marveling at the architecture, the art, the exhibits–the sheer wonder of the institution.
2020 Predictions: We Need Some Milk
Last year, I appeared on We Need Some Milk, a sometimes irreverent podcast exploring local politics with a focus on New Jersey and Massachusetts. The hosts invited me back to participate in the program’s first episode in 2020.
