Author: Dan Rodricks

When the day gets too long and thoughts crowd into the room – regrets and feelings of loss, but also questions, the wonder-why and wonder-where of old acquaintances and absent friends – Trexler comes to mind. Yes, Trexler, my old friend. He’s the main character in E.B. White’s short story, “The Second Tree From The … Continue reading My old friend Trexler and the second tree from the corner

At a campaign rally over the weekend, Trump mocked President Biden for being a stutterer: “I’m gonna bring the country tuh-tuh-tuh-together,” he said, as if quoting a line from Biden’s State of the Union speech. It was a continuation of the ridicule Trump had started at a rally in January. “He’s a threat to duh-duh-duh-democracy,” … Continue reading Cruel and indecent, unworthy of a single vote

Among the most stark and depressing realities about America in 2024: We are stuck with a Supreme Court that represents the crowning achievement of an activist conservative plutocracy and serves a regressive agenda that undermines democracy.  Look at what just happened: The Court, with three of the nine justices selected by Trump, pretty much guaranteed … Continue reading The Supreme Court serves Trump and MAGA, and to hell with democracy

The skeleton of this 80-foot pine tree along the banks of the Youghiogheny River in western Maryland arrived at some point during the previous eight weeks. The last time I visited this spot, near the Yock’s confluence with Sang Run, it was not there. It was well upstream, half submerged. I assumed it would be … Continue reading Deadfall, and the power of big water

Winslow I have received almost as many comments about the sets of my two plays, “Baltimore, You Have No Idea,” and “Baltimore Docket,” as I have about the performances, and for good reason: The designer and artist, Christopher Winslow, and the set carpenter, Gary Flowers, went above and beyond my expectations for scenery. Flowers They … Continue reading The Overzealous Artist: Christopher Winslow

I don't use this space for calendar announcements, but one of my favorite troubadours is performing songs of one of my favorite troubadours this week, so here goes . . . ROBIN BULLOCK’S TRIBUTE TO the late GORDON LIGHTFOOT Thursday, February 22Tickets & info: https://uptownconcerts.comMasks Optional @Temple Isaiah, 12200 Scaggsville Rd., Fulton Maryland      One of Canada’s … Continue reading A Gordon Lightfoot tribute by Robin Bullock

We took apart the set of “Baltimore Docket” on Sunday and packed it away with the help of the carpenter who built it (Gary Flowers) and the man who turned it into a work of art (Christopher Winslow). I have a feeling we will revive this play about trials I have covered over the years … Continue reading Closing notes: The Baltimore plays

Baltimore still has more than 13,000 vacant houses; some could be renovated and modernized, some torn down and replaced with new housing. Hope Village in East Baltimore offers a model for smaller, affordable homes that could be built on some of the city's many vacant lots. The mayor's office, the Greater Baltimore Committee and the … Continue reading Homers for Homes: How new Orioles ownership can create more homeownership in Baltimore

I hear it all the time, and more so since the events of the last week, with the special counsel's controversial report on President Biden's handling of classified documents: Joe is old, the Democrats should have nominated someone else to serve the next four-year term as president. Robert Hur, the former U.S. Attorney in Baltimore, … Continue reading Biden is old, Trump is old and dangerous

My column on Friday played off of a politician's public expression of a desire to "move on" from a series of financial difficulties and misleading public statements to continue his career in office. I speak of Nick Mosby, the president of the Baltimore City Council. He's seeking re-election despite personal problems that raise serious questions … Continue reading About a Robert Frost poem, and the darker meaning of ‘moving on’