Tuesdays with Muerte

(Image: NYT front page, January 8, 2026)  With a president who appears comfortable testing institutional boundaries, it’s worth revisiting why the presidency is structured the way it is. The four-year presidential term and the later two-term limit—often taken for granted—were not inevitable. Both emerged from a persistent fear of concentrated executive power and of creating a king in all but name. A Constitution Written in Fear of Power When delegates gathered in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, they had no clear model for an elected executive. Monarchies dominated the Western world, and existing republics offered cautionary tales rather than inspiration. The framers were starting from scratch—and arguing fiercely. Early proposals varied wildly. Some delegates favored short three-year terms. Others supported seven-year terms, or even a single term with no reelection, fearing what one delegate called an “elective king” who would cling to power and establish a dynasty. At one...

Image:  Dangling Shoes from Pixabay. The phrase "waiting for the other shoe to drop" originates from early 20th-century New York City tenements, where thin floors made it possible to hear upstairs neighbors preparing for bed by dropping one shoe, and then anxiously awaiting the second thud. Over time, the phrase evolved from this literal experience to its current idiomatic meaning: to anticipate an inevitable, often negative, event or outcome.

We all want our kids to be happy, safe, and successful. But what if our efforts to protect them are actually holding them back? Over the past few decades, parenting has shifted from  helicoptering —hovering close and monitoring every move—to  lawnmowering , where parents clear every obstacle in a child’s path. Both come from love, but both send the same subtle message:  “You can’t handle this.” And that message can quietly chip away at a child’s confidence and resilience. Helicopter vs. Lawnmower Parenting: Two Sides of the Same Coin Helicopter parents  hover overhead—constantly checking where their kids are, who they’re with, and what they’re doing. For years, researchers believed this kind of “monitoring” kept kids out of trouble. But research tells a different story: Only  5%  of what parents know about their teens comes from strict monitoring. About  50%  comes from  kids choosing to share —because they trust their parents. This finding s...

Big societal changes can be hard to spot at first, but one shift happening across the United States is clear: DEI programs focused on are losing support, and an anti-DEI movement is gaining strength. What is DEI? So, what is DEI? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Many people first heard about it in 2020 after George Floyd’s tragic death raised national awareness and sparked protests against racism and police violence. In response, companies and schools worked to create or expand DEI programs. These programs aim to promote fairness and make sure workplaces and classrooms include and support people from all backgrounds. DEI isn’t just about hiring; it’s also about creating a welcoming culture and improving how organizations treat everyone. Winds of Change When DEI programs first gained attention, many saw them as a positive step toward fairness, and criticizing them often felt like opposing equality. However, in just a few years, that perspective has shifted. For some, DEI has beco...

If I could change one thing about the U.S. education system, it would be to prioritize  problem solving over memorization . When I first read  Getting Things Done  by David Allen, one idea stuck with me: our brains have limited energy—so we should use them for  thinking , not just  storing . Yet traditional education trains us to memorize instead of reason. As a result, many adults struggle with basic problem-solving—not from lack of intelligence, but from lack of practice. I recently saw a funny video of a dad totally misfiring on a simple logic puzzle. It’s relatable because we’ve all done it. He’s not dumb—just out of practice. Meanwhile, I asked ChatGPT the same question, and it reasoned through it perfectly. That got me wondering: As AI gets better at reasoning, will humans get worse? Will we use AI as a tutor to strengthen our thinking—or as a crutch that weakens it?

Do You Recognize the Melody? When I first listened to Aurora's 2023 hit single, " Your Blood ," I was immediately reminded of " Lovefool ," a 1996 classic from fellow Scandinavians, The Cardigans. I assumed they were both singing about unrequited love, but I realized they told different stories as I spent more time with Aurora's work. Background Interview with the Artist In this article, A Matter of the Heart , Aurora gives listeners a glimpse into the meaning behind her hit single, " Your Blood" .  In summary, "Your Blood" reflects on the loss of heart and empathy in a world driven by rationality and profit, exploring themes of pain, empathy, and interconnectedness.  Inspired by a letter written by  Indigenous activists from Brazil , Aurora's album,  What Happened to the Heart?,  questions humanity's reliance on mind over heart, highlighting how decisions driven by logic rather than compassion lead to suffering, both for the Eart...