Who am I doing this for and why? The first answer that comes to mind is for me. As a retiree, I need an outlet for all the stuff bubbling from my busy brain. My mind has always worked like satellite TV, watching all the channels at the same time. Insatiable curiosity mixed with the inclination for reflection and a heart for others has created a modern-day polymath and armchair philosopher. As an ex-bartender with Irish American roots this was inevitable. I am hopeful that what I share of my reflections and experiences will be entertaining, perhaps even useful for you. I have usually done the right thing, but only after exhausting all other possibilities.
The title for the site is Musings from a Long Strange Trip. Musings is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as “your thoughts or comments on something you have been thinking about carefully and for a long time”. One of the purposes of this site will be to share these musings. The rest of the title is borrowed from greatly missed Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. As I begin my eighth decade on the planet it has been, and continues to be a long, strange trip. For many years, I have been told that I am a good storyteller and writer. Unfortunately, my publications to date have been of the snore-inducing academic variety. I hope this will provide the opportunity to broaden my range as a writer.
Although, I am a retired mathematics and statistics professor, and recovering academic, I spent more time as the empathetic ear behind the bar than in the so-called civilized world of academia. I can say now that I believe in many ways the bar business was more civilized. At least those that meant to do you harm were easier to identify. Now, I have a different type of writing in mind. Whether it be grandfather, husband, father, seeker, learner, teacher, or any of the many other hats I have worn over the years, I have always been a student of the human condition. I hope to share the universal human stories that we all have in common. Topics will include faith, family, aging, elderhood, nature, roots, Appalachia (where I live), community, education, travel and who knows what else. I will always try to remember to provide healthy doses of humor. Thank you for your company on this long, strange trip.