Author Archives: paulefallon

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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.

My David Sedaris Challenge

Posted on 05/29/2024 by paulefallon

David Sedaris is a well-known humorist; a go-to guy for wholesome satire with a touch of irony. He often writes about the joy and discovery of walking. In a recent article, he boasted of logging 40,000 steps and dreamed, one … Continue reading →

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Memorial Day

Posted on 05/22/2024 by paulefallon

This is a reprint of an essay from Memorial Day 2012. Unfortunately, it all needs to be said again, and again. Memorial Day has always struck me as a holiday in desperate need of a root cause analysis. We honor … Continue reading →

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All the Privilege I Cannot See

Posted on 05/15/2024 by paulefallon

I can’t seem to get Alex Edelman’s Just for Us out of my head. I keep digging beneath the comic surface of his sometimes naïve, always humorous, wonderings about whether this fair skinned Orthodox Jewish man-child is actually white. One … Continue reading →

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Alex Edelman: Just for Us

Posted on 05/08/2024 by paulefallon

You haven’t seen comedian Alex Edelman’s MAX special, Just for Us? You must. I first read about Alex a few years ago, in a profile of the Brookline-born comedian, so when his special appeared in my MAX queue, I hit … Continue reading →

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Building Our Way to Equity: A Convenient Fallacy

Posted on 05/01/2024 by paulefallon

Over the last dozen years or so, I’ve watched my small, wealthy, city of Cambridge MA grapple with how to create a more resilient and equitable community. How to provide more affordable housing. How to encourage more sustainable transportation. And … Continue reading →

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This Earth Day: Do Something that Hurts…Until it Feels Good

Posted on 04/22/2024 by paulefallon

Ask any person if they are sustainable and the answer is a resounding, “Yes.” After all, we’re all good people, and we want to save the earth, so we do our part. This one recycles beer cans. That one installs … Continue reading →

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The Simple Beauty of Following Right-of-Way

Posted on 04/17/2024 by paulefallon

It’s Spring! The weather is warming, the cyclists are swarming, and motorists are alert to us everywhere. As a guy whose primary means of transport for over fifty years has been my bicycle, I appreciate how turf battles over pavement … Continue reading →

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Wanted: Our Joseph Welch in 2024

Posted on 04/10/2024 by paulefallon

Joseph Welch may not be a household name, but on June 9, 1954, the Boston attorney made an invaluable contribution to our nation’s democracy when he uttered the famous words, “Have you no sense of decency sir?” Overnight, the McCarthy … Continue reading →

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Election 2024: Taking Sides

Posted on 04/03/2024 by paulefallon

The Awkward Pose takes its name from a yoga pose in which the feet rest flat on the floor while the knees, hips, and shoulders are all bent at ninety-degrees. It ought to be an easy position to hold, since … Continue reading →

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In Memoriam 69: Phil Saviano

Posted on 03/27/2024 by paulefallon

I recently turned 69, a prophetic age for me, as three dear friends of mine died at that age. This month, I am posting a memorial to each of them, as they are all still very much alive in my … Continue reading →

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