Author Archives: Carol

On American Pets

Posted on 3 September 2011 by Carol

I am pretty old and I’ve lived for many years overseas, where animals may be petted and fed, but that’s about it.  With this information as backdrop, I have to admit I’m pretty shocked by current American attitudes toward and … Continue reading →

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Belated Delight in Gardening

Posted on 23 August 2011 by Carol

Never did I imagine that I would enjoy gardening.  But for the past two years, I have found a new pleasure in life. In October 2009, I moved into my own home (only the second home I’ve ever owned, having … Continue reading →

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The Dangers of ‘Poverty’ as a Topic

Posted on 22 August 2011 by Carol

Studying ‘poverty’ has become a popular activity within the field of international development.  There are poverty specialists, pro-poor programs (which always make me wonder if the programs are designed to encourage poverty rather than overcome it), and more.  CIFOR (the … Continue reading →

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Reveling in my Access to Books

Posted on 21 August 2011 by Carol

I lived for many years in places where books were not readily available—in Turkey as a child, for decades during my adult years in Indonesia, in the Sultanate of Oman for four mid-life years.  Now (in my dotage), I live … Continue reading →

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Advertising my fun book about Borneo

Posted on 16 August 2011 by Carol

A few years ago, my husband and I wanted to try out one of the ‘print on demand’ publishing arrangements, so, with a little help from the Center for International Forestry Research, we tried out lulu.com, and published a book … Continue reading →

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Politics again

Posted on 14 August 2011 by Carol

A couple of nights ago, my husband and I watched the Republican debates on the Fox TV channel.  It was a depressing evening….as we listened to the alien world view, the assumptions about life and politics that we did not … Continue reading →

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Formal religion–some thoughts

Posted on 14 August 2011 by Carol

I have never been enthralled with formal religion, and my husband’s utterly rabid atheism ensures its absence from our home.  But my own beliefs include a sense of the wonder of the universe and I have some sort of vague … Continue reading →

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Literature’s power

Posted on 23 June 2011 by Carol

Thinking about my own youth, and having just attended a huge, beautiful and extravagant Jewish wedding, I was reminded of a book that had a profound, if temporary, effect on my young life.  I was 13 or 14 when I … Continue reading →

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Youth, Reproductive Rights, and Crazy Politicians

Posted on 23 June 2011 by Carol

The Republicans (in the US) have been trying to fiddle around again with women’s reproductive rights.  It makes my blood boil. When I was in my teens (early 1960s), considering my own sexuality, being tempted by my own body and … Continue reading →

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On Adjusting to Aging in America

Posted on 11 June 2011 by Carol

In 2006, at the age of 62, I made an arrangement with my full time employer (in Indonesia) to go onto a 3/4 time arrangement.  My thinking was that this would help allow me to adjust to eventual retirement more … Continue reading →

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