Mary VanderGoot
Mary VanderGoot is a Psychologist, author, and teacher. She considers the Great Lakes region a great place to live except when it snows.
Articles by Mary VanderGoot
To Bail or not to Bail
Recently David Brooks posted a New York Times op-ed lamenting an increase in “bailing,” which he defines as “flaking” on social commitments. The title of the article was “The…
Mr. Sillypants Goes to Washington
In a folder of papers at my desk there are reminders of things to do sometime, although they aren’t urgent. Waiting to be filed is a copy of Billy Collin’s…
A Place Called Home – Even When You’re Young
Since posting "A Place Called Home" we have learned of the passing of Otto Warmbier. Just as home is the place where absence is felt most durably, so home is…
On Father’s Day (With an Apostrophe)
Grand Rapids, MI Father’s Day is around the corner. I had to look up the term to see if it has an apostrophe. It does, and it has had since…
Some Thoughts on Leonard Cohen – Going Home
Grand Rapids, MI Leonard Cohen has done his last show, composed his last song, and breathed his last breath. When the news popped up on the screen of my laptop…
Saving Church for Adults
Grand Rapids, MI Recently, in a posting entitled “A Culture of Millstones,” Katharine Dalton has lamented the too-colorful language her children are exposed to in church – words like whore, prostitute,…
Not Hurting Anybody
At the film festival in Cannes this past summer and at the Toronto film festival in the fall, Nick Cassavetes brought to the screen his new film Yellow. It is…
Dear Friends . . . or Maybe Not!
Several times lately I’ve opened my email and found notices about people who want to friend me, but I don’t think that means they want to befriend me. Thanks to…
The Right to Lie
If you must lie, measure it against your own self-interest and make sure it is legal, and if at all possible try not to do it under oath.
Ethnic Bingo
In Bingo-land it is not appropriate to talk about yourself until you have found some shared link. In general it is more acceptable to talk about who you are (your…
A Tip of the Hat to Courtesy
Grand Rapids, MI. Strange things happen in the checkout lane. The elderly man at the head of the line was pausing to look at something in his hand. No, not…