Welcome!

This website contains an abundance of information about three of my current interests – environmentally friendly gardening, understanding Islam, and seeking better ways to think about money, economics, and our country’s finances. It also contains more modest amounts of information about Unitarian Universalist preaching, scientific editing, and charitable giving.

The tabs on the left lead to many things – annotated bibliographies related to Islam, a small book’s worth of gardening tips, the texts of sermons and talks I’ve given, lots of ideas and references related to our country’s economy and the decisions we collectively face, etc.

Unlike a blog, my purpose here is to provide information and ideas that might be useful to people over the years. Which veggies are easy to grow in the Boston area, or how to start a new garden, doesn’t really change year by year. I do keep reading books about Islam and adding the good ones to my bibliography, but the books listed previously are no less valuable just because they’re a year or two older. So much of this website is static. It is, among other things, a reference work for people who share these interests.

So what’s new?

All of this website is currently new, but in the future I will list here recent additions as well as other things that might be of interest to folks. Such as …

I’m hosting a Winter Spirit concert by a wonderful musician, Peter Mayer, on Saturday, January 21st. Pete combines evocative lyrics, amazing guitar work, a delight in laughter, and a profound sense of mystery and wonder. I especially love some of his winter-oriented songs and some of his spiritual songs, and this year my birthday happens to be on a Saturday, so I decided to throw my biggest birthday party ever. I’m afraid I’m going to ask people to share the expenses, though … tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. If you’d like tickets or have other questions, please contact me.

Two more imminent events, to which everyone is invited, are:

> Inside Mecca, a wonderful film that follows three pilgrims (from Indonesia, South Africa, and the United States) as they go on Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. I’m showing it during Hajj, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 6, at First Parish Arlington.

> “How Would We Solve the Budget Puzzle?” – an interactive program focused on solutions to our country’s budget problems. Wednesday, November 9, 7 to 9 p.m. at First Parish Arlington.

Also … Leila Ahmed’s memoir, A Border Passage is one of the best Islam-related books I’ve read. Not only is it beautifully written, not only does it give an invaluable perspective into what Egypt was like when she was a child in the 1940s, but it also weaves in insights she has obtained over the years about Arab identity, men’s and women’s forms of Islam, why some forms of Islam are overtaking others, and why many Egyptians in the 1920s were pro-Israel. It’s a fascinating book. If you’d like to discuss it, please join us on Monday, January 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. at First Parish Arlington. All I ask is that you spend at least two hours with the book, so that you can really participate in the discussion.