Category: Advice

  • ABIDING CONCLUSIONS

    The title to this essay is a very practical one. The “abiding” part has to do with some thoughts that have remained in my brain for the better part of 80 years. The “conclusion” part has to do with these statements which allow no room for debate. And, finally, you will be surprised to know…

  • THE POWER OF PRAYER TWO

    You may recall that a few months ago an essay was dictated at this desk that had to do with Bishop Eddie Long who was pastor of the New Birth mega-church in Atlanta.  It seems as though Bishop Long had thousands of followers and they clung to every word that he uttered.  Not to tell…

  • YOUR LYING EARS

    A few years back, there was a popular television program called “You Bet Your Life.”  Groucho Marx, the wise-cracking brother from the Marx brothers, was the master of ceremonies for this program.  There came an occasion when Groucho Marx, in response to a question from one of his participants, asked, “Are you going to believe…

  • SMOKERS MUST BE WEALTHY PEOPLE

    Everyone knows that I am not a man of great wealth.  The fact that I worked for 43 years for AT&T will tell you that I am not a man of considerable means.  But nonetheless I smoked cigarettes for 16 years, starting at age 16.  Finally I quit smoking cigarettes or, as my father put…

  • APHASIA AND ARTHRITIS

    In the last few months here in the great luscious garden state of New Jersey, we find that teachers are retiring in droves or perhaps flocks.  They are retiring at this time because they sense that shortly their benefits may be curtailed or removed through the generosity of the new governor, Chris Christie.  This is…

  • THE BRAIN OF JUNIOR SEAU FINALLY REST IN PEACE

    I am not an obsessive follower of professional football.  The fact of the matter is that there are millions of other people who follow professional football stories with avid interest.  As it turns out, there was a recent development having to do with one of the premier linebackers of recent memory.  His name was Junior…

  • THE ABOMINABLE MONTHS OF THE YEAR

    For all of my long life, I have detested months that have 31 days in their duration.  At the moment, we are enduring the grim days of January in the new year.  When two months of 31 days follow each other, that is the cruelest time of year for every creature known to me. July…

  • A LECTURE ON THE ART/SCIENCE OF FALLING

    It is my hope that all of you grammarians who read these essays will be aware of the fact that I really said “falling” not “falling down.”  I have observed over this long life that things do not fall up.  The fact is that they fall in a downward fashion.  And so this lecture will…

  • IT CAN’T MISS — A SHOVEL-READY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

    Over the past 50 years or more, I have been involved in various business opportunities but none presented as much of a shovel-ready opportunity as this one.  Because this opportunity has existed for more than 50 years, you will have to hear my story as I spin it out. About 58 years ago in Chicago,…

  • PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE

    [Note from Kevin: this is not a true “Ezra’s Essay.” The title was supplied by me; I hope Pop approves. Of course the rest of the essay was written by Pop but not for general publication. But as someone currently embroiled in the job search and having to meet people and speak quite a bit,…