Author Archives: Ed Kowalski

I was walking in the woods. I ran into Thomas Jefferson. He was carrying a box, wrapped in a bow. “Which state is this?” he asked. New York, I said. What’s in the box, Thomas? “A present for the country. By my calculations, you are about to celebrate our 245th birthday.” Yep, thanks to yourContinue reading “Meeting Thomas Jefferson”

It’s a bitch getting old’, the guy in the Phlebotomy waiting room said to me as we were both waiting to get our blood drawn. I nodded and hoped that he saw my appreciation for his comments in my eyes as we were both masked. Turns out he, like me, have now added trips toContinue reading “I’ve never seen someone picked up by the testicles before…..”

When one of your friends tells you that they are ‘progressives’, have this outline ready: Progressivism is merely the current euphemism for centralized power vested in a class of people who believe their own propaganda, or know it is a lie but tell it anyway. It is not enough merely to note that it hasContinue reading “IT’S OK……THEY’RE ‘PROGRESSIVES’”

Gone are the days when there were only two genders, male and female. Now there are 31 — at least there are in New York City, where it is illegal to discriminate against anyone on account of their sex — male, female or “something else entirely.” According to the Washington Free Beacon, New York CityContinue reading “BOYS WILL BE BOYS AND GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS…….SORT OF”

Hemingway didn’t know he was Ernest Hemingway when he was a young man. Faulkner didn’t know he was William Faulkner. But they had to take the first step. They had to call themselves writers. That is the first revolutionary act a writer has to make. It takes courage. But it’s necessary.”— Pat Conroy, My LosingContinue reading “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?”

I’m an old father now. I own lots of memories. I polish the sweet ones and never dust the ones that hurt. I mind time now. I didn’t used to. In fact, like lots of you, I was reckless with time. Not any longer. When I was a boy of about 9 or so, IContinue reading “Time,Time, Time, see what’s become of me …….”

January 6th marks the 100th birthday of my uncle John. 100! He went to Heaven in 1976 when he was just 55. I’ve blogged a lot about John. A fellow Son of Xavier, an uncle to my 17 cousins, a presence that held our family together.As those of you who read my blogs know, IContinue reading “100”

“Goodbye, Santa……goodbye…..thank you for coming….have a safe trip back to the North Pole”…..the Irishman bellowed in the vestibule of 210 East 83rd Street. That man was my grandfather and the vestibule he was in was the apartment building that I grew up in along with my aunt, cousins, my Uncle John and my parents andContinue reading “GOODBYE Santa……….Thank You!”

Today I was in a shoe store that sells only shoes, nothing else. A young girl with green hair walked over to me and asked, “What brings you in today? I looked at her and said, “I’m interested in buying a refrigerator.” She didn’t quite know how to respond, had that deer in the headlightsContinue reading “Generational Oddities”

President John F. Kennedy was killed 57 years ago today. 57 years ago. For many people my age, JFK’s assassination and funeral was the first national news story of our lives. I was 5 and just started school. My family, that week was focused on Thanksgiving as well as my sister’s upcoming birthday and thenContinue reading “BLACKJACK…..A SONOFABITCH”