That Summer

That Summer

The sun rose to meet me late.Pimpled and miserable under July sheets,I had too many brothers with fistslike pistons, a mother who made meiron or dust or leave her alone:she had a headache.My father—who wanted lights out,no Donovan on the radio,no Sunshine Superman at...
Remembering Woolworth's

Remembering Woolworth's

It reigned in the center of the downtown square;you could use your actual feet to get there.Most often you arrived on a coffee break, orafter work when you remembered you needednew Fruit of the Loom, a Teflon pan forthat night’s meatballs. You lingered in the...
Entrepreneurs without borders

Entrepreneurs without borders

From time to time I get the feeling that I’m a little too wrapped up in Wisconsin. I mean, sure, the Wisconsin Academy is all about finding and sharing the best ideas in the state, but this doesn’t mean that Wisconsin is the center of the universe. Right?...
More Spit, More Fire

More Spit, More Fire

January 5, 2010 • “Trusting Self and Universe” As the adage has it, journeys begin with decisions. In my case, the decision is to combine the Jewish mandate for tikkun olam (“repairing the world,” in Hebrew) with an awareness that we must spend...