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Catching Up!

Catching Up!

by | Sep 29, 2023 | Journal

Wow, it’s been more than a month since my last blog post. I guess a lot has been going on, so I thought I’d drop this post just to share. As usual, Fall 2023 entered with what can only be described as someone flipping a switch! It’s like this every year. Two weeks ago...
The Boy in the Window

The Boy in the Window

by | Jul 28, 2023 | Journal

The Boy in the Window If you are anything like me, you probably have some occasional childhood memories that pop, unbidden, into your head from time-to-time. I don’t always know what triggers them. Some are mere snippets, like remembering playing with a toy toolbox...
The Dune Litany, Re-purposed!

The Dune Litany, Re-purposed!

by | Dec 12, 2022 | Journal

The Dune Litany, Re-purposed! If you’re a Dune fan like me, you’ve read most of the books and watched the movies, old and new, perhaps more than once. I read four of the books before burning out and have seen all of the Dune movies more than once....
Are Religion and Science Incompatible?

Are Religion and Science Incompatible?

by | Nov 26, 2022 | Journal, Science

Are Religion and Science Incompatible? I say, “Yes! And Ne’er the Twain Will Meet!”[i] Some might read the title of this post and think, “That’s a bold statement, explain please!” Others might read it and think, “Bullshit! There’s no real reason science and religion...
How Did I End Up in Duluth?

How Did I End Up in Duluth?

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Journal

The way my grandmother told it, is that she was at home in Duluth one day when she got a call from San Francisco. The woman on the phone told her that her daughter, Mary Ellen, had a baby boy and asked her if she would be willing to come to San Francisco and pick the...
Introducing Jeff’s Journal

Introducing Jeff’s Journal

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Journal

Greetings! While I have been writing some about my passions, like philosophy, science and travel, I have been wanting to write about other things that are more personal, and sadly, I’ve been putting this off for years.  Indecision sucks! But now I say” “Enough is...
How I Got the Surname of Drake

How I Got the Surname of Drake

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Journal

"I have been working on my family history for over 30 years now. That’s a long time, and I’m forced to admit that at this point I’m somewhat tired of explaining to people how I came to have my mother’s maiden surname, Drake, instead of my father’s surname. I understand why folks want to know, so I don’t complain. Still, to avoid future confusion, I think I should explain it one more time. So, here goes."
Something Happened

Something Happened

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Journal

I have a photo of me with my mother in the hospital where I was born. She looks happy. I’m feeding my face from a bottle. The photo looks so normal. Like a photo you would expect of a first-time mother. Not everything is always as it seems. Between the time this...
“And All Her Bearing Gracious” (1 of 2)

“And All Her Bearing Gracious” (1 of 2)

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Journal

This is a beginning, I think. I imagine that I will be writing more about my mother, Mary Ellen Drake. There is just no way that I could ever tell you everything I know, remember, or heard about her in one sitting. She was the proverbial mystery wrapped in a riddle...
Am I an Atheist or an Agnostic? Explain Please!

Am I an Atheist or an Agnostic? Explain Please!

by | Aug 17, 2022 | Journal

Q. Jeff, are you an atheist or an agnostic? Please explain. A. It might surprise those of you who know me that technically speaking, I am not an atheist. What do I mean by this? Well, the dictionary tells us that an atheist is someone who “disbelieves or lacks belief...
In Memory of Jim Duff

In Memory of Jim Duff

by | Aug 17, 2022 | Journal

Please note: In 2010 I was invited to be a speaker at a wake in Indianapolis for one of the best friends I ever had, Jim Duff. I was honored to participate. Jim and I worked together for years while at Hewlett-Packard and then into retirement, leading teams of...
“And All Her Bearing Gracious” (2 of 2)

“And All Her Bearing Gracious” (2 of 2)

by | Aug 17, 2022 | Journal

Well, I called Part 1 of my mother’s saga, And All Her Bearing Gracious, “a beginning,” and sadly, this looks like Part 2 will be the end. Why? For the simple reason that I believe I have gathered all the information I possibly can about my mother’s war years. I only...
Am I an Atheist or an Agnostic? Explain Please!

A Blast From the Past

by | Jul 17, 2022 | Journal

This post is a copy of a paper I wrote as a freshman in college in 1972. Actually, it was typed on a typewriter. I’m pretty sure it was for Freshman English. In any event, it was fun to rediscover it and to see that it is just as relevant today as it was then....
When the World Was Young

When the World Was Young

by | Jan 26, 2021 | Journal

When all the world is young, lad, And all the trees are green; And every goose a swan, lad, And every lass a queen; Then hey for boot and horse, lad, And round the world away! Young blood must have its course, lad, And every dog his day. When all the world is old,...
On Being Alone

On Being Alone

by | Jul 4, 2018 | Journal

I recently exchanged emails with a friend about an idea that has been bouncing around in my mind – that if you are honest and seriously think about it, we are all alone in this world. No, I’m not feeling depressed or isolated. Let me explain. I don’t mean alone...
In defense of philosophy

In defense of philosophy

by | Jul 22, 2017 | Journal

Let’s face it. Many of us have been here before. Your child has entered college and is figuring out what field of study they want to focus on for the next 4 years. So many subjects to choose! In your mind, you picture your child picking a field of study that will lead...
Worth thinking about!

Worth thinking about!

by | Jul 19, 2017 | Journal

While searching through material I’ve written over the years, I came across one of my very first philosophy papers written in college. The title was, “To Believe Or Not To Believe” and had to do with my then-budding atheism. At the end of this paper...