Last week I wrote about the adventure of teaching Henry Harutunian, my ex-Soviet Olympic fencing coach friend, to drive. As promised, there’s more to his story. In those first couple of years after Yale, with a recent graduate’s typical enthusiasm for the success of his alma mater’s teams, I followed the ups and downs of […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Henry-in-Office.jpg12001800Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-04-26 15:13:102020-11-29 22:32:15Bittersweet Postscript to My Friend Henry’s Story
With my friend Henry Harutunian at Harvard, spring 1968 The story I’m about to recount took place over half a century ago, in 1966–68, when I was working on my master’s degree in Soviet area studies at Harvard. During the first year of this two-year, multi-disciplinary program, I continued my study of the Russian language, […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Henry-me-1968-Harvard.jpg12281818Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-04-19 17:26:512020-04-26 15:25:51Bringing Thrust and Parry to New England’s Highways
Poppies along the coast It’s been about three weeks since the Great Coronavirus Confinement began in earnest, at least at our house. Sandra and I have been out to pick up groceries or prescriptions a few times, but mostly we’ve had our food and medications delivered — and a few take-out meals as well. (Three […]
Even though the COVID-19 plague has many of us cocooned safely away at home, for some people, work continues online. For those whose professions require “virtual” meetings, here are a few useful tips: If Time-Zone Follies require you to join a coast-to-coast meeting at “O Dark Thirty” and you haven’t yet managed to brush your […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/136.jpg753750Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-03-29 16:48:322020-03-29 16:48:32ZOOM-ing in on an Online Pajama Party
When Sandra and I got a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau on Friday, it reminded me of a joke that my dad, a wonderful raconteur, told me many years ago. With the coronavirus and the political season combining to depress everyone’s mood, I thought it would be nice to lighten up my blog this […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seal-42704__340.png340340Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-03-22 18:44:272020-03-22 18:49:47The Census Reminds Me of the Weirdest Things
Today I’m writing about a few measures my wife Sandra and I are taking to avoid the coronavirus and the potentially deadly disease it causes (COVID-19). A couple of days ago we sat down over morning coffee and figured out a few things we could do to minimize our risk, since we’re both in our […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/money-laundering.jpg21332505Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-03-15 16:24:352020-03-29 16:50:34Money Laundering Might Help Keep You Safe From Coronavirus
Mayor Bernie Sanders in Yaroslavl, USSR, in 1988 Now that Super Tuesday is behind us, voters in the upcoming Democratic Party primaries will have to choose between the two remaining viable candidates, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. In this post I’d like to make a small contribution to the effort to keep the nomination out […]
The distinguished journalist Edward R. Murrow,1 right, director of the U.S. Information Agency under President John F. Kennedy. At left, Murrow’s wife and son. In last week’s post, I began the story of how in a critical job interview, after I was asked the question I most feared, my luck turned around and I completed […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Murrow-JFK.jpg535688Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-03-01 16:32:582020-03-01 16:49:05How to Ace a Job Interview — Part 2
Back in the spring of 1968 I had a big job interview — the oral portion of the U.S. Foreign Service exam. It was a long shot, and I was not expecting to pass. Still, I hoped I’d succeed, since work as a U.S. diplomat in embassies and consulates around the world would give me […]
https://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/USIA-Logo.png599602Howard Danielhttps://pen4rent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/logo.pngHoward Daniel2020-02-23 20:29:412020-02-23 20:29:41How to Ace a Job Interview — Part 1
A year or so ago, I published two posts (here and here) related to wine, beer and another, quite exotic, alcoholic beverage in the former Soviet Union. Previously, I’d created two other posts (here and here) about experiences with vodka in the USSR. Today, I’ll briefly return to the subject in a sort of “hair […]
Bittersweet Postscript to My Friend Henry’s Story
/0 Comments/in Places I've lived, Recollections, Russia-USSR /by Howard DanielLast week I wrote about the adventure of teaching Henry Harutunian, my ex-Soviet Olympic fencing coach friend, to drive. As promised, there’s more to his story. In those first couple of years after Yale, with a recent graduate’s typical enthusiasm for the success of his alma mater’s teams, I followed the ups and downs of […]
Bringing Thrust and Parry to New England’s Highways
/0 Comments/in Places I've lived, Recollections, Russia-USSR /by Howard DanielWith my friend Henry Harutunian at Harvard, spring 1968 The story I’m about to recount took place over half a century ago, in 1966–68, when I was working on my master’s degree in Soviet area studies at Harvard. During the first year of this two-year, multi-disciplinary program, I continued my study of the Russian language, […]
Great Escape
/0 Comments/in California, Coronavirus, North Bay, Places I've lived, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County /by Howard DanielPoppies along the coast It’s been about three weeks since the Great Coronavirus Confinement began in earnest, at least at our house. Sandra and I have been out to pick up groceries or prescriptions a few times, but mostly we’ve had our food and medications delivered — and a few take-out meals as well. (Three […]
ZOOM-ing in on an Online Pajama Party
/1 Comment/in Coronavirus, Humor /by Howard DanielEven though the COVID-19 plague has many of us cocooned safely away at home, for some people, work continues online. For those whose professions require “virtual” meetings, here are a few useful tips: If Time-Zone Follies require you to join a coast-to-coast meeting at “O Dark Thirty” and you haven’t yet managed to brush your […]
The Census Reminds Me of the Weirdest Things
/0 Comments/in Humor, Thoughts /by Howard DanielWhen Sandra and I got a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau on Friday, it reminded me of a joke that my dad, a wonderful raconteur, told me many years ago. With the coronavirus and the political season combining to depress everyone’s mood, I thought it would be nice to lighten up my blog this […]
Money Laundering Might Help Keep You Safe From Coronavirus
/0 Comments/in Coronavirus, Thoughts /by Howard DanielToday I’m writing about a few measures my wife Sandra and I are taking to avoid the coronavirus and the potentially deadly disease it causes (COVID-19). A couple of days ago we sat down over morning coffee and figured out a few things we could do to minimize our risk, since we’re both in our […]
Bernie’s ‘Woke’ Fans Need Awakening
/0 Comments/in History, Thoughts /by Howard DanielMayor Bernie Sanders in Yaroslavl, USSR, in 1988 Now that Super Tuesday is behind us, voters in the upcoming Democratic Party primaries will have to choose between the two remaining viable candidates, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. In this post I’d like to make a small contribution to the effort to keep the nomination out […]
How to Ace a Job Interview — Part 2
/0 Comments/in Recollections /by Howard DanielThe distinguished journalist Edward R. Murrow,1 right, director of the U.S. Information Agency under President John F. Kennedy. At left, Murrow’s wife and son. In last week’s post, I began the story of how in a critical job interview, after I was asked the question I most feared, my luck turned around and I completed […]
How to Ace a Job Interview — Part 1
/0 Comments/in History, Places I've lived, Recollections /by Howard DanielBack in the spring of 1968 I had a big job interview — the oral portion of the U.S. Foreign Service exam. It was a long shot, and I was not expecting to pass. Still, I hoped I’d succeed, since work as a U.S. diplomat in embassies and consulates around the world would give me […]
Russian Drinking Tales — Round 3
/2 Comments/in Places I've lived, Recollections, Russia-USSR, Travel /by Howard DanielA year or so ago, I published two posts (here and here) related to wine, beer and another, quite exotic, alcoholic beverage in the former Soviet Union. Previously, I’d created two other posts (here and here) about experiences with vodka in the USSR. Today, I’ll briefly return to the subject in a sort of “hair […]