Ways of Seeing: AI bot proved not up to the task

This fall my sister drove up for a visit. The leaves were gorgeous. We took golden crisp walks in Lincoln and Bristol and ate heartily from our garden’s harvest.

It’s dangerous to speak too freely around this house. Drop an unguarded “walk” or “go out” and our collie, sleeping peacefully by the fire, transforms into a leaping, barking maniac. Say “treat” in the wrong tone of voice and he’ll caper in front of you l … (read more)

For interests on my Match.com profile, I wrote, “I knit, run a non-profit, make documentaries, and read.” I showed this to my daughter. “Knit, Mom? You put that first?” 

Most mornings the granddaughters and I drive to New Haven Town Hall to catch the Tri-Valley bus to Bristol. When we arrive at the bus stop we jump out of the car, practice our Tae Kwon Do or Tai Chi moves and then start dancing, often to the song “Red” fr … (read more)

“Happy new year!” “Happy new year!” With The Holidays soon to be past, you’ll hear it from just about everyone you meet on the street. It’s a pleasant greeting. Friendly. Well-meaning. Cheerful. But I am not cheerful. I am glum. I am grouchy. I do not thi … (read more)

Then came the sound: a single goose high above us, flying through the night. Its call surprised me. Geese are a harbinger of what is coming seasonally, but also a reminder of those with whom we share our world.

I’ve known about the Exxon Tiger for most of my life. It is a small piece of Bristol’s history tied to my family. For long-time Bristol residents it is common knowledge that there was previously an Exxon station where the Irving gas station is now located … (read more)

This is a tough time of year. It’s the time when suicides increase and when people feel tremendous isolation and loss. It is when darkness creeps in, literally and figuratively. The holidays, for some, can exacerbate feelings of aloneness and as the days … (read more)

My parents grew up in kosher homes, but didn’t continue that when I was growing up. I thought the kosher rules were silly, though I would never have said that to my grandparents or favorite uncle. They were traditional Jews who believed in the power of mi … (read more)

My goal for this column was to not write about election outcomes. Yet, I’m experiencing the pink elephant paradox: No matter how hard I try not to think about the results, they permeate my thoughts.

I call Buster Rick’s therapy cat. At the end of a busy day or even a stressful election season, he’ll curl onto Rick’s lap and take a nap. It’s better than meditation or even a massage. Buster’s warm, purring body puts them both into a trance, and the pro … (read more)

Have you heard of the Thin Veneer Theory? This is the idea that underneath a thin layer of civility, inside we are all selfish brutes. Veneer Theory holds that in times of crisis, such as a natural disaster, people will be violent and harmful in order to … (read more)

This month the Middlebury New Filmmakers Film Festival held a friendly cocktail hour at Middlebury Inn to thank the hosts who had given housing to this year’s filmmakers and guests.

When I was young, my parents insisted that I take piano lessons at Westminster Choir College, a training program for aspiring musicians and music teachers. The students there were learning to teach young children, and we mostly stomped around the room, le … (read more)

I pull up to the stoplight, and there she is, standing with her cardboard sign — HOMELESS. ANYTHING HELPS – looking hopefully to each driver. It’s morning. By afternoon will she still be hopeful? Her eyes are tired, her hair unkempt, her coat too thick fo … (read more)