My wife is right. She says when I come to the states I usually find myself rather flat for writing. Today is no exception. But I'll try anyway. My excuse is that I'm on holiday. I'm taking a break. I'm supposed to unwind. I want and need to unplug. Shouldn't we all? She says it's more […]

I don't think I've made a conscious decision to regurgitate specific events or memories from my past. If I have, I'm certainly not aware of it...yet. But Josip's face keeps coming back to me. Let me tell you why. It might be a long one. East Mostar. September 1993. I think. We got stuck in […]

I'm a bit flabbergasted about the response to my last post. I have always, and probably always will, contemplated my role in Bosnian society. I don't think anyone's can be strictly or narrowly defined. But there is one role that I am particularly fond of. Simon and Garfunkel called it 'feelin' groovy', the Beach Boys […]

I openly admit it. I am schizophrenic about where I want to be and when at the moment. What is a man to do? Two great choices. Well, an infinite number of choices. Right now I dabble with two. So as I sit here in 25 degree weather (or 77 if you wanna talk F), […]

It has almost gotten to the point, after two decades of absence from the US of A, that I sometimes feel like a tourist in my 'own land.' Or perhaps somewhere in between a local and ferner. There are a handful things I truly miss. This is my top ten. So it goes. 1. It's […]

So it's dark now. We're in the middle of nowhere. The South American soap operas are over for the day. The border guard has told us our official US Embassy document is falsified. To top it all off, I'm angry and seemed to have the uncontrollable urge to express that anger. I'm pretty sure my […]

This was supposed to be a continuation of a family's reunion. That was my intention. But it's gonna have to wait another day I'm afraid. Something else came to mind. And continues to do so. So I will go with the proverbial flow. Newtown. The name doesn't seem to want to leave. Sometimes it's replaced […]

They were just two kids playing in their backyard. The avlija, a garden enclosed by a high stone wall, was the only source of normal play for them. Kids like kids, mom and dad let them into the well kept garden to play during a lull in the shelling. A 120mm mortar round came, with […]

The winter here hasn't been too dramatic yet. Last year we got pummeled with 2 meters of snow in a few days. There isn't a drop of snow to speak of at the lower altitudes. Sarajevo is known for its long, cold, dark and dirty winters. That's why it's good to have family in Florida. And Florida […]

I have never - ever - had an uneventful road trip in the Balkans. Barring all barnoneables, We had just crossed the Sava River, the same natural border that creates the political one between Bosnia and Croatia. After the curvy two lane roads of Posavina it was nice to be on the highway. My old […]