This will be an occasional blog were I may ramble on about running, or birding, or history. I may ruminate on current affairs, or I may reminisce about my experiences (and the occasional lesson learned). It will be personal, but I hope interesting and illuminating for others.

 

I might be considered a public intellectual since I have a Ph.D. in medieval history and am a tenured professor at a liberal arts college. I'll embrace that identity. For academics it's an increasingly crucial role. We can't just write technical essays for an audience of 20. We must use our knowledge and analytical skills to provide voices of reason to our fellow citizens. It's a civic duty. This role is especially crucial in the age of the internet and cable TV. Sources of information are badly fragmented, and it is too easy to seek and accept only that which supports our pre-conceptions. Perhaps with more of us trying to have reasonable conversations, at least some of our voices might be heard over all the noise.

 

In addition, I have lived a fairly rich life. I think, I hope, my experience provides a perspective of hard earned wisdom which might be worthy of sharing.

 

The mountains in the header for this site reflect that I live and work in the Appalachian Mountains, an area of unsurpassed beauty.

 

The other picture is me running somewhere in northern Michigan. I love the fact that I am dwarfed by the landscape. The perspective is perfect.