Bil Aulenbach Loose lips sink ships—and can kill people. The first half of that saying came from WWII and has been etched into my brain. When people talked too much or spread false statements, others died needlessly. That war is over, but the axiom still holds true today. Words can kill either the talker or the listener. … Read more
I have been a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center for years. Since 2000, it has been publishing an annual list of hate groups and antigovernment groups (which are similar to hate groups) in the United States. In 2023, it listed 835 antigovernment groups and 595 hate groups, totaling 1,430. For me, those numbers … Read more
Every summer, my wife and I visit Laguna Beach, often regarded as the art hub of the West Coast, to enjoy the art scene. Experiencing such creativity inspires our own—me in my writing and Anne in her art. I believe all forms of the arts stimulate humanity’s creative spirit. Laguna Beach hosts four major summer … Read more
Here’s a story of three friends who were sitting around chatting. One of them asked, “When you are lying in your casket at your funeral, and someone is giving the eulogy, what do you want them to say to the congregation?” Art said, “I want to hear what a wonderful teacher and servant of God … Read more
I have a friend who says he reads the obituaries every day to check whether his name is there, and if it’s not, he moves on with his day. I enjoy reading obituaries. I start with the photos and note whether they look young. Did they die young, or is it a photo from their … Read more
I’m going to use some words that hardly anyone uses in public, especially when describing what happens to people at the end of their lives: die, dead, death. These are “shhhh words.” These words were triggered by a series of events: (1) August is Make-a-Will month. We just updated our will, which needs to be … Read more
Seven years ago, my church friend Craig started a theater group called the Wayward Artist, which aimed at staging edgy, provocative productions. Annie and I were among the original sponsors, and we have never missed one of its shows. The original theater was held at California State University, Fullerton. Last year the university did not … Read more
The June 2025 issue of AARP: The Magazine had an article that made me consider the subject of old age. Is age a number? An attitude? Is it influenced by one’s health? Or by how engaged someone is in their activities? What about mental capacities? I don’t think age is a number. I am ninety-three, … Read more
I’ve often wondered what terrible thing the forty-seventh president has to do to have some of his seventy-eight million supporters say, “Enough!” I need to make this very clear: I have never liked him. I watched his television show The Apprentice (2004–2014) once. I thought he was cruel and crude. Some people said he was … Read more
I never doubted God until I went to college. Then, during late-night talks and while under the influence, I decided that God is just a figment of man’s imagination. Why bother? The Korean conflict was happening while I was in college, so I joined the marines and confronted my mortality. My Sunday school god returned, … Read more