Remarks, Questions, Tar and Feathers.
Being a reader oriented writer, Sean once again engages with his audience, answering questions as only he can
Sean Dietrich
The Golden Standard
The Golden Rule is older than you might think. The first reference to The Rule comes from ancient Egypt, roughly 2000 BCE. “Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do.”
Please Enjoy This Ad
Look at your phone. Ads. Turn on a television. Ads. Open a laptop. Ads. Scroll social media to make sure cherished friends and loved ones are still alive and actively posting angry political memes. Ads.
An Important Message From The President
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor…
Dear God
Hi, God, It’s me again. I know it’s been a while since my last prayer, so I don’t blame you if you choose not to listen to a hopeless fool like me.
Not One Penny More
The last penny has been minted. The humble American “pence” shall be no more. It’s too expensive to produce. It just doesn’t make sense. No pun implied.
The Lost Art of Porch Sitting
I was raised on porches. I love a good porch. Especially old ones. The haint blue ceilings. The swinging ferns. The skidmarks from when I rode my bike off the porch for a New Year’s Eve party.
It’s All in the Headlines
What about the headlines you never see? Does anything good ever happen? How come you watch the news and see all the godawful things that happened, but never see anything positive, save for a 45-second wrap-up story about a domesticated pig at a nursing home.
The Story of a Veteran
She was born in 1821 in the humble town of Winchendon, Massachusetts. She must have been a spirited baby because she was a spirited woman.
You Can’t Do That No More
I got to thinking about the ever-growing list of things you can’t do anymore. And I’m not talking about the big things, such as smoking unfiltered Camels in the maternity-ward waiting room. Actually, it’s not a “maternity ward” anymore. It’s the “labor and delivery unit.” “Maternity ward” is a sexist term implying that only women have babies.
The Old Preacher
The Baptist church in Brewton was decked for a funeral. Men wore ties. Women wore dresses. The occasional elderly woman in a floral hat was seen wandering the premises. You don’t see many floral hats anymore.
We were burying the preacher today.
Oh, How Times Have Changed
When my grandfather was born, they still used horses and buggies. One third of Americans were farmers. Irving Berlin was a household name. Newspapers were the only form of mass communication available except for maybe shouting. Entertainment was different, too. People entertained each other. Books were luxury items.
The Little Girl and the Gardener
The following is a true story. The little girl was walking with her mother. They were taking a stroll through the hospital garden, bathed in the dappled sunlight of early afternoon, looking at all the flowers in bloom.
Don’t Ever Grow Up
Dear Kid,
Don’t grow up. Don’t turn into an adult. That’s my advice. Resist adulthood. Be a kid forever.
Right now, a lot of adults are angry in America. To be fair, we have a lot to be angry about. But adults can behave badly when they are angry. So please forgive us.
Delay the Friendly Skies
The airport was slammed. We checked in at the kiosk. Checked our luggage. Then stood in a four-mile line so that TSA agents could fondle us. Then we rushed to our terminal, hauling our baggage, just in time for…Our flight to be delayed.
Two Farm Guys
It was a rural area. Hundreds of acres of almond trees. The scent of organic fertilizer filling the air. Two farmworkers were repairing a broken tractor near Avenue 8 and Road 23 ½ in Madera County. That’s when they noticed something. The men saw a school bus on fire.
Twenty-Seven Names
On Interstate 71, just outside Carrollton, Kentucky, stands a lone highway sign. It’s a small sign, DOT-green, no frills. Easy to miss. But it’s there. The sign reads, “SITE OF FATAL BUS CRASH—MAY 14, 1988.” That’s all.
Hotel Breakfasts
The hotel lobby. Early morning. The dining room is filled with people all eating complimentary breakfasts of plasticized food-like matter.
All Saints Day
Yesterday was All Saints Day. A holiday that was started during ancient Rome, when Christians were killed for sport. “Hallows Eve,” was simply a prayer vigil traditionally held on the night before this holiday. A holiday intended for remembering martyrs.
About Us
We were newlyweds, living in a grungy apartment. Each morning, I would wake before her. I would pass my morning hours writing poetry on a yellow legal pad, sipping coffee.