Through his lyrics and music, Springsteen has been a sort of spiritual guru for me as influential as any teacher, priest, or even parent.
Tag Archives: Ty Roth
On Hair
How we wear our hair communicates so much information regarding our moods and intentions for the day, even our personalities.
Some Suggestions for Alternative Christmas Songs
The winter/Christmas songs I’ve come to prefer are not the typical carols, pop-rock, and kitschy tunes that tend to dominate the air waves and playlists. I like tunes that remind me of how fortunate I am and have been and that remind me of the numerous gifts I’ve already received, especially in comparison to so many unfortunate others. I also like those that present a unique or ironic take on the season.
This AND That
For me, the most off-putting of persons is the zealot, defined as a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals. Sadly, I’m afraid, we have entered an age of zealotry. Such periods typically result in heinous acts of persecution and only end with many lives ruined or ended.
The Things Football People Say
As a former high school football player and coach and as a longtime fan of the sport of football, in general, there are a number of tired expressions and boorish behviors I wish my fellow aficionados would put to rest.
“Seventeen Going Under”
At “seventeen,” many of them are truly “going under,” exposed to and drowning in situations no one should be made to face at that age. Stories of abuse, neglect, poverty, hopelessness, depression, suicidal aspirations, and recklessness with sexuality, drugs, and alcohol are not uncommon.
Hazing or Horseplay?
There are few things I find more repulsive than deliberate cruelty. I don’t claim to have been or to be a saint. I’m sure I’ve behaved in a manner that came off as cruel to others at various points in my life. However, if I have, those incidents were the results of immaturity, ignorance, or misunderstanding, not deliberate cruelty, which is exactly and only what hazing amounts to.
What’s It About?
It’s not sexy, but sacrifice as a path that leads to redemption is a theme that runs throughout the novel. It’s a path that a number of major characters in the novel must choose either to walk or to take the easier route that provides less resistance but no redemption.
What You Wear
Obviously, the fear I felt for my son wasn’t one-millionth of that which the parents I mentioned in the previous paragraph must experience daily. However, that one-millionth shook me to my core. It was MY son being threatened for simply adopting MY favorite team as his own when he was a daddy-pleasing little boy.
The Fourth Quarter
If I’m fortunate enough to match my father’s eighty years lived, I’m about to begin my personal fourth quarter, and I want to make sure that my final minutes do not tick away without my knuckling down and making the most of every second.
Ty Roth 