Social Commentary
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The Lesson Nation Should Learn From Charlie Kirk’s Death: Frankness In Newsrooms About Gun Violence Is Needed
I didn’t know much about Charlie Kirk until his death made headlines. I had heard his name, of course, but he was an asterisk in my mental filing cabinet, and if I had listed him anywhere, it would have been under the title of people who are famous for being famous. As we are at… Continue reading
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Worrying About Brown People In Our Community
The angst I felt over the past few weeks as the UPS truck rumbled by our home and down the street is the reason I write this column tonight. It is a small thing in life. A truck with boxes, sometimes for me, is something I like to see. But in recent weeks, the truck… Continue reading
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Williamson Street Merchants And How to Move Forward
A couple of days after the shooting of Corey Ruiz at a Williamson Street intersection, I asked the following question on the Marquette Neighborhood listserv. We had a friend who was going to buy some do-it-yourself project materials this morning for the weekend from the hardware store but felt it would be hard to navigate,… Continue reading
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Yosemite: The Line We Will Not Let Donald Trump Cross
I suspect anyone who has visited Yosemite National Park knows that, when you leave, a part of you stays behind. The place pockets a piece of your heart. Yosemite is one of those rare American places where the scale of the land makes you feel minuscule in comparison. The beauty is something that no picture… Continue reading
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Data Centers Are Coming, Let’s Plan Smartly
Donald Trump isn’t totally wrong about his views on data centers. Let me quickly dart away from any metal in my den that may draw the bolts of lightning, and I’ll be back with you in a minute. Ok, I survived that. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to say that Trump wasn’t totally… Continue reading
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Doty Land Podcast: How Do We Find Happiness? Or Does It Find Us?
Here is the link to this podcast episode. Musicians, singers, and songwriters Tim Grimm and Sergio Webb performed in Madison, Wisconsin. The outdoor house concert was especially special, but the larger message about how life presents people and moments in such random designs begs the question to be pondered. Do we find happiness, or does… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Early Retirement Allows Gentle Pull To The Next Chapter Of Life” 8/29/26
It has been in the offing for a while, but now it is official. James Wilson, my husband, retired effective yesterday. Smiles abound. And the opening hours of that new chapter could not have started in a more serene, tranquil, and unexpected way. We were both reading books on the front lawn (James with early Maine… Continue reading
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Dolly’s Open Hand vs. Trump’s Closed Grifting Fist
A lesson in genuinely meaningful ethics. Two very different American stories are in focus this week: rich people and what they do with their wealth. One belongs to Dolly Parton, an iconic superstar who lived a life that treated success like a resource to be shared. The other belongs to Donald Trump, who treats financial… Continue reading
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Dolly Parton: Music And Heart On Display In Madison Concerts
Dolly Parton took the stage at the Dane County Coliseum on October 29, 2005. It was the first major concert that my husband, James, had ever attended. Walking down an onstage staircase, she held the audience in the palm of her hand from the first note. I know that sounds trite. Except it is the… Continue reading
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The Larger Message About Jed York, Owner Of San Francisco 49ers, Arrested In Prostitution Sting
Here we are again with a story about the unseemly side of the NFL. Just in time for the start of a new season, when many Americans will opt to sit inside on beautiful fall Sunday afternoons to watch television. San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges… Continue reading
