Author Archives: paulefallon

About paulefallon

Greetings reader. I am a writer, architect, cyclist and father from Cambridge, MA. My primary blog, theawkwardpose.com is an archive of all my published writing. The title refers to a sequence of three yoga positions that increase focus and build strength by shifting the body’s center of gravity. The objective is balance without stability. My writing addresses opposing tension in our world, and my attempt to find balance through understanding that opposition. During 2015-2106 I am cycling through all 48 mainland United States and asking the question "How will we live tomorrow?" That journey is chronicled in a dedicated blog, www.howwillwelivetomorrw.com, that includes personal writing related to my adventure as well as others' responses to my question. Thank you for visiting.

Vote Yes on 2

Posted on 10/21/2020 by paulefallon

The Awkward Poser does not stump for any particular candidate; my politics are too idealistic to descend into that fray. But I am a strong advocate for anything that strengthens the underlying principles of democracy: civic participation and robust, informed … Continue reading →

Posted in United States | Tagged City of Cambridge, democracy, fair elections Ballot Questions, Massachusetts Ballot Questions, Ranked Choice Voting | 2 Comments

The Beauty of the Breakup Album

Posted on 10/14/2020 by paulefallon

My husband’s girlfriend’s husband just called me up. How messed up is that. Everyone over the age of sixty should have a pair of Millennial children. Even if it requires you to adopt late in life. Just to keep a … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal | Tagged breaking up, coming out, Dixie Chicks, Gaslighter, Gay Pride | 2 Comments

Salve November’s Guilty Conscience: NOW

Posted on 10/07/2020 by paulefallon

“I just don’t know what I’ll do if I wake up on November 4 and Donald Trump’s won.” “I’ll die if Trump wins the election. Then move to Canada.” Thus are the refrains I hear from friends who, in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2020 Presidential election, civic duty, vote | 2 Comments

Referee Whistle: How to Broadcast the Presidential Debates

Posted on 09/30/2020 by paulefallon

The dominant feeling that flushed over me at the end of last nights’ debate was: I am embarrassed to be an American. This is the state of our democracy. A mediocre moderator unable to guide a fork-tongued crank and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, United States | Tagged Presidential Debates | 4 Comments

The Patriotism of Isolation

Posted on 09/23/2020 by paulefallon

This week’s post is penned by my niece, Caroline Bringenberg, an LA-based Millennial activist who challenges me to think about the world I am leaving the next generation. Growing up I remember hearing stories, at home and in history class, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Caroline Bringenberg, citizenship, coronavirus, Rosie the Riveter, World War II | 6 Comments

My Summer of 75 Things

Posted on 09/16/2020 by paulefallon

On June 2, 2020 Corinne Shutack published an article on Medium, “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice.” Quick on the outrage of George Floyd’s killing, with a long pandemic summer before me, I decided to make a … Continue reading →

Posted in United States | Tagged Amber Ruffin, Black Lives Matter, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Corinne Shatuck, Kara Springer, racial justice, SURJ | Leave a comment

The Measure of All Things

Posted on 09/09/2020 by paulefallon

Pat Barker’s 1992 novel, Regeneration, is about many things. The futility of war, the assumptions of Freudian psychotherapy, the defacto caste system of early twentieth century Britain, the absurdity of England’s attitude towards homosexuals. An anti-war novel without a single … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Freudian analysis, Pat Barker, Regeneration, WWI England, WWI shell shock | Leave a comment

Two-Way Affirmative Action

Posted on 09/03/2020 by paulefallon

Recently, I completed a survey from Beth Israel Lahey Health, the mother ship of Mount Auburn Hospital, where I volunteer three days a week. It was a simple, two question survey from the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Career … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, United States | Tagged Affirmative Action, Black Lives Matter, essential employees, living wage | 7 Comments

Pool Paddle

Posted on 08/26/2020 by paulefallon

A few years ago a friend of mine was minding his sister-in-law Adelaide’s son for the afternoon. The day was hot and sticky, so Mike took five-year-old Zach to a local pool. When it was time to go home, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, United States | Tagged personal responsibility, police brutality, restorative justice, transformative justice | 1 Comment

Measuring Experience

Posted on 08/19/2020 by paulefallon

Toni Morrison once told Hilton Als that being a black woman writer is “…richer than being a white male writer because I know more and have more experience.” (The New Yorker, October 27, 2003). Immediately upon reading that phrase, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged F. Scott Fitxgerald, human experience, Marcel Proust, Marlene Dietrich, Toni Morrison | Leave a comment