How can things feel out of control in such a general, pervasive sense? And are they? I can only point to recent experience and anecdotal evidence. First, there is the driving thing. It comes and goes, the motorist mojo. So whenever I hit the road...the road tends to hit back. A case in point, yesterday's trip to Diamond Heights. Yes, this San Francisco neighborhood has a bombastic ring. Jubilee Summit or Sapphire Peak would have sounded more modest. But, and I can vouch for this, Diamond Heights Read more [...]

It falls somewhere between dread and anxiety. While not quite constant, it is pervasive. To analyze this, to come to grips with it, there’s only one solution. Roll up my street, activate the ramp to my wheelchair van. And start the engine. Sit there. Let time pass. If this scenario sounds vaguely suicidal, that’s because it isn’t. No, there’s no hose running into the passenger cabin. There’s no hose at all. It’s just that death is on the mind. And why not? At age 68, this is to be expected. Read more [...]