Doug Bybee

According to Danny “Rags” Sullivan, 1959 was dragging its summer. In fact, July 28 lasted nine days. Rags’ birthday was July 29 — he’d be 12. The big 12! In our small Midwestern town, age 12 marked the second plateau on one’s climb from boy to man. The first step happened around age 8, when […]

A hairy situation I’ve written about 40 articles for Illinois Times, none of ’em on purpose. The words fall from my laptop during morning coffee. The stories “falling” are always 1,600 words long. Because Illinois Times only allows me 800, I just eliminate 800 words at random and call what’s left “well said.” Oftentimes the […]

Fuzzy logic, as you may or may not know, is a real live mathematical concept with an acronym (FL), a formula of sorts, and a long explanation full of words such as “empirically based,” “significant error,” “significant rate of change of error,” “partial-set membership rather than crisp-set membership,” “error slope,” and “adaptive control.” Given that […]

Monday: I have a red truck. I’m vehicle-ignorant: color is the limit of my vehicular knowledge. I had gearhead buddies when I was a teenager; they dreamed of the 1957 Chevy. I didn’t share their passion. I dreamed of the 1957 cheerleaders. I know a cylinder’s purpose; it’s just that I’ve never met one personally. […]

He was not from here; he was from there. He’d been here once before, with, at best, confusing results [see Bybee, “Here and there,” Feb. 23]. His previous visit had been a medical matter; this time he was here on business, and he expected a more logical conclusion. His company’s human-services software (job-application process, personnel, […]

Not many “different” people out-and-about anymore. By alternating acts of charity and intolerance, we herd odd folks into more palatable definitions. I’m not sure where they put the odd people who decide not to go along. Rehab centers? Jail? Asylums hidden behind names such as Meadow Brook and Garden Terrace? Doesn’t matter I suppose, as […]

Fifteen years ago: I quit golf and try a less expensive hobby to humiliate myself. I’ll write a book. A long habit will lead me: Whenever an odd thought passes by, I grab it and force it into a gorilla-head jar. I’ll pull out a jar-thought, stretch it out until I tire of it, call […]

1964. I have nothing against the suit and tie; it’s just that I don’t have them in my wardrobe. In my last college semester, for my first professional-type job interview, I borrow my roommate’s suit. The suit “bunches” me, and the shirt collar chokes me as I fight the tie demon. As I attempt to […]

As we pass from one life phase to another, it’s not unusual to make resolutions. Two years ago I passed from work to retirement — and I resolved. It’s time to check up — how’d I do? Resolution 1: Learn to cook. Resolution: accomplished. I think that the recipe is worth passing on, should you, […]