“Thus reader, I am myself the matter of my book; you would be unreasonable to spend your time on so frivolous and vain a subject. So farewell.” Michel de Montaigne wrote this at the opening of his monumental book, Essais (Attempts.) I wonder how seriously he meant that. …

Billy Porter in Pittsburgh — When I saw that Billy Porter was going to be at Heinz Hall on a day we were in Pittsburgh, I knew immediately we had to go. There were two reasons that motivated me. One, I felt that it would be a statement of support for communities under attack…

Ch..Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes — We’re in the home stretch of our stay. Home stretch: the phrase evokes an image of a magnificent racehorse, full stride, silk-clad jockey flogging it on, crowd roaring, eyes on the prize. …

Whimsy — In all of my musings, I have neglected Charles, the conejo, who resides with Andrew’s family. I suppose you might think of him as a pet or mascota, as they are called here. But it’s pretty clear to me that he is more than that, a beloved family member. And…

Safe and Sound: The City of Eternal Spring Medellin is a storied city. It is situated in a high mountain river valley, surrounded by the Andes. Its climate is immoderately moderate, daily showers alternating with warm sunshine. Tropical plants bearing flowers and fruits greet you at every turn. The people…

Safe and Sound: Pittsburgh Loves Pittsburgh — “Remember, Mom,” Liz told me, “Pittsburgh loves Pittsburgh.” She was hoping to prevent me from making faux pas, comparing my new home to other places I’ve lived, particularly other cities. I try. Our house is just a half-hour walk from what the Yinzers call Dahntahn

Safe and Sound: Forty Years in the Slow Lane — Ithaca, NY, (Ithaca is Gorges) and State College, PA, (Happy Valley), are two towns that owe their existence and livelihood to storied universities, Cornell and Penn State, respectively. We lived twenty years in each of them. Upstate NY and Midstate PA are rural areas; the populace skews white and conservative…

Safe and Sound: My kind of town — In 1974, David was accepted to the University of Chicago for graduate study. Our stay lasted five years. The U of C is located in Hyde Park, in Chicago’s near south side, an el ride away from downtown. For the entirety of that time, we lived at 1335–41 Madison Park…

Safe and Sound: City Mouse — The reaction of more than a few people in the US when we told them of our plans to visit Medellin for an extended stay was concern for our safety. “Isn’t that where all the drugs come from?” “You mean where Pablo Escobar lived?” “You better wear a vest.” I…