Jack N. Lawson

Of Critters and Christmas

In Western civilisation, most people who celebrate Christmas these days prefer that it be antiseptic. Trees are often artificial, nativity scenes–whether plastic, wood, ceramic or live–are clean and odour free. Who wants to smell animal excrement or rotting hay for Christmas? Well, Jesus for one. Whatever you might believe, according to Luke’s Gospel account, GodContinue reading “Of Critters and Christmas”

Making Crime Pay in the USA

If financial success is your main goal in life, without compunction about how you make your money, then there is good news for you. For unlike in Russia, where you’d have to marry into an oligarch’s family or kiss Putin’s ass (and even then you’d stand a high chance of falling out of an openContinue reading “Making Crime Pay in the USA”

Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones

The title for this blog comes from an old spiritual, which has at least two different versions. The one I’m thinking of is based on Ezekiel 37, wherein the prophet is whisked by God to a valley of dry bones, who represent the dead and exiled people of Israel, following their defeat by Babylon. IfContinue reading “Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones”

The Graceful Art of not Giving a Shit

I attended a gathering at our neighbours’ house yesterday evening and found myself in a conversation about ageing with some other 70-somethings. I averred that one of the best things about ageing consisted in not giving a shit anymore. But let me qualify that statement with one word in this blog’s title: “Graceful”. Do IContinue reading “The Graceful Art of not Giving a Shit”

The White Guy

My first ‘real’ job after graduating from college was at Guilford Technical Institute in Greensboro, NC. It didn’t pay very well, but it more than made up for that in experience, because it was my first real experience at being a minority. I was hired to work with a team which was working largely inContinue reading “The White Guy”

May I Make an Appointment for Last Week?

Yes, that is exactly the phrase I recently used whilst calling to make a medical appointment. Well…what I actually said was: Puis-je prendre un rendez-vous pour la semaine dernière? (I live in France.) In any case it greatly amused the medical secretary…I think she’s still laughing. It’s nice to make someone’s day brighter. By theContinue reading “May I Make an Appointment for Last Week?”

When You Look in a Mirror

When you look at yourself in a mirror—really look—who might you see looking back? It’s not a trick question. Perhaps you see a younger you—before the grey appeared? Perhaps you see one of your parents? Perhaps another relative? Or even—if you are a parent—you might recognise how one of your children has come to resembleContinue reading “When You Look in a Mirror”

Thoughts About Writing Joab

Joab was a different experience than writing any of my other novels for one simple reason: there was only one voice dictating in my head rather than a host of characters. Just after Joab appeared in print, I wrote a blog about hearing voices. As a writer of fiction, I think I might be inContinue reading “Thoughts About Writing Joab”

When the Inner Voice Speaks

I might as well come clean…I hear voices. In fact, many people hear voices, it’s just not popular to talk about it openly. (Have a look at the Hearing the Voice Project, sponsored by the Wellcome Trust: https://hearingthevoice.org/ I think you will find it fascinating). About two years ago, when I was in the processContinue reading “When the Inner Voice Speaks”

Anger Entertainment

In years to come, thoughtful, truth-seeking people will say “Thank God for Dominion Voting Systems.” Of course, many are saying it now, thanks to Dominion’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News (“News”, in this instance, being a contradiction in terms). Murdoch’s testimony, so far, has made it abundantly clear what the majority of people knew allContinue reading “Anger Entertainment”