Author Archives: clupone

Years ago, when I went to Poland, the icon of the Black Madonna at the Jasna Góra monastery in Częstochowa, was one of my must-see sites. It is the most venerated Catholic shrine in very Catholic Poland. Legend has it that this icon was painted during the time of the apostles, by St. Luke theContinue reading “The Black Madonna of Częstochowa”

This week, there was an article in the New York Times about Alan Alda using ChatGPT to write a scene based on a classic M*A*S*H episode. That gave me an idea. Here is what I asked ChatGPT. Write me this SNL Weekend Update scene: Roseanne Roseannadanna answers a letter from a Mr. Richard Feder ofContinue reading “I asked ChatGPT to write an SNL sketch”

When people think of international travel, they think of the glory that is Rome, the beauty that is Paris, the exotic majesty of the Taj Mahal, the excitement of a Kenyan safari. They think in poetry. The details of getting there and being there are often prosaic – like taking off your shoes to goContinue reading “Toilets of the World”

After spending two years in fear of getting COVID, I got COVID. It began with fatigue, and then segued into nausea, followed by a 101.5F fever. (See what happens when you get older – your medical travails become writing fodder.) I tested negative. The next day I remained tired and just a bit nauseous –Continue reading “Well, That’s One Way to Prolong Your Trip to Italy”

I wrote on Facebook that most tourists take pictures of art and architecture. Here, given the local situation and the brevity of the Santiago portion of my trip, most of my pictures are of graffiti, protests, broken glass and other evidence of protests. This was typical – a boarded up window with some statement slammingContinue reading “Chile Travelogue Part 2: They Doth Protest Too Much?”

Are you eating right now or about to eat? Please stop right now and read this later. Marie and I are in Santiago, Chile for the wedding of Rob and Chelsey. This is our first trip to Chile. However, we have been to Honduras, and we have found that they have a number of thingsContinue reading “Chile Travelogue Part 1: A Peculiar Kind of Etiquette”

If at first you don’t succeed….so much for skydiving. — Henny Youngman. I have always liked writing emails to people – which sounds weird, I know. For me, it is like writing a letter – something people used to do but do not do anymore. I used to look forward to getting letters, and IContinue reading “My First Blog Post”