March 18th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
We live in a horse race. Two nags, Gluefoot and Gimpy, are neck-and-neck coming down the stretch, and we have no idea which horse will cross the finish line first. Gluefoot represents the uncertainty of whether we’ll persist in our belief that we can control (because we’ll be blamed for) everything. Gimpy represents the uncertainty […]
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March 13th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
I was going to excerpt portions of President Biden’s 2024 State of the Union remarks and annotate them with snide comments. But four things happened: I realized snark is indistinguishable from truth at this point, and snark doesn’t sit well in some circles. Neither does truth. And here we are. I wouldn’t have enough time […]
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March 11th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
I happened to see a notice that, Melanie, one of the singer/songwriters who achieved some popularity during my wayward youth, passed away earlier this year at the age of 76. It started me thinking about the plethora of famous people who’ve managed to become known by a single name only, often just their first names. […]
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March 4th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
I have a theory that, for some people, the calendar just stops. It stops at different times for different people. But it definitely stops. All of their cultural influences — sartorial, tonsorial, musical, et al. — freeze. I don’t know if those freezes could be considered time warps. It’s more likely they reflect periods of […]
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February 26th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
On The Scale of Self-Deceit and Frivolity Unto Extinction, there are points well beyond first-world problems. They indicate the extent to which life in the United States is luxurious enough that we can afford to make shit up to worry about. They also confirm the point made by Bill Maher that Americans are a silly […]
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February 19th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
I had occasion to speak with a prospect on a Zoom call the other day. She was looking for help in establishing her brand and marketing her online workshops and published materials. She insisted those things could be accomplished only by a digital marketing agency. I suggested digital marketing (or online marketing) simply means promoting […]
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February 12th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
Author’s Note: This story was prompted by my wife, Anne, with whom I shared the story I’m about to share with you. When I told her the story, she said, “Six strings. You should write about that.” And people wonder why I love her as I do. The woman is like the tide she comes […]
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January 29th, 2024
Mark O'Brien
Last week I wrote about the lethal peril to which we find ourselves subject as the result of anthropogenic climate change and two of its perniciously wayward children, bomb cyclones and weather whiplash. Well, just when you thought it was safe … Last week, the Washington Post ran a story — “This weather phenomenon on […]
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December 11th, 2023
Mark O'Brien
Ya know what I was thinking about today? Nothing. I put in a full day of work, but I gave my mind the day off. That’s right. I was on something like cerebral autopilot. I had things to do, but they were routine enough and I knew them well enough that they didn’t require creative […]
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December 4th, 2023
Mark O'Brien
Those of you who’ve been to the dance with me likely know of my baby brother, Woody. I’m his legal Guardian and Conservator. The day before Thanksgiving, he wasn’t feeling well. One of the staff members from his group home took him to the emergency room (ER). His blood pressure was 66/45. He was kept […]
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