Author Archives: JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

“Sock Hop Bop Flop”

Posted on August 4, 2018 by JMN

Sock Hop Bop Flop An Admonitory Fable for Tragedies Averted (To all my students who made it through graduation) Bee-Bop-A-Ree-Bop, A lockdown jam, A lockjawed ham, Good golly, Miss Molly, Lookin’ hot damn! Bee-Bop-A-Ree-Bop, A hounddog dude, Blue suede shoe’d, … Continue reading →

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Poetaster

Posted on August 4, 2018 by JMN

More joy courtesy of Blake Gopnik, “In His Films, Brancusi Takes Flight,” NYTimes. Given all the chestnuts in this show, the challenge is to see if we can still find a way to be astonished by them, as we were … Continue reading →

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Jolly Comeuppance

Posted on August 4, 2018 by JMN

I was a retentive student. I would remember being exposed to the political geography of the kingdom across the English Channel from Europe. I was not exposed to that geography. Yesterday I learned that “Great Britain” consists of England, Scotland … Continue reading →

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“Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo.”

Posted on August 2, 2018 by JMN

New words encountered! Courtesy of Roberta Smith, “Painting: An (Incomplete) Survey of the State of the Art,” NYTimes. “gamin” — Ms. Hearne was a gamin performance artist turned art dealer with an audacious eye… [I knew this word from French … Continue reading →

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A Prayer of Sorts

Posted on August 1, 2018 by JMN

I pay more attention than I’d like, for personal reasons, to news coming from a region of ceaseless conflict. Recently, three men attacked a secure place. One breached the gate by killing himself with explosives so that the other two … Continue reading →

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Sigh… but I’d love to be surprised.

Posted on August 1, 2018 by JMN

If he’s proven to have not told the whole truth about the fact that campaigns look for dirt, and if someone offers it, you listen to them, nobody’s going to be surprised. There are some things in politics that you … Continue reading →

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Onward and Upward with the Language

Posted on August 1, 2018 by JMN

I learned a new word today: “derp,” meaning “foolishness or stupidity.” Here’s the context: So that’s why I’m a crypto skeptic. Could I be wrong? Of course. But if you want to argue that I’m wrong, please answer the question, … Continue reading →

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Sir Alistair Has Much in Common

Posted on July 31, 2018 by JMN

Sir Alistair Chichester is just like you in so many ways: He can quaff a pint with the next man at the Thane of Thoth; he enjoys his Marmite soldiers with an egg, his faggots with mushy peas, his bangers … Continue reading →

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Making Bold

Posted on July 31, 2018 by JMN

They say seek forgiveness, not permission, if you’re bold. I make bold here to respond publicly to a fellow blogger with whom I am enjoying a rewarding exchange of views — one of several bloggers who kindly respond to me … Continue reading →

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Waking the Dogs

Posted on July 31, 2018 by JMN

It’s been a red-letter several days in my quiet life, and I’m afraid it has me sounding off more than I should here on topics that normally I would let lie with sleeping dogs. I have a fear of goading … Continue reading →

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