Across the Gulf of Life, a Greeting

There's something fundamentally wonderful here.

"And who, disguised as..."

Here you see the part of Superman that is real. Just add John Williams music to taste.

He's here too.

Why Read a Book or a Magazine?

The reason I read a paper magazine or book is for the time it gives me — for the space to think, reflect, pause, return, re-read, and so on until what’s on the page has morphed from an idea to something deeper.

Online, and even on a tablet, is a different experience. There’s a light in my face. There’s an urgency. It has no closure; there’s always another click, an eternal, forever, world-without-end-amen stream of data rushing, flowing, pounding, demanding, agitating.

Paper gets me away from that.

When all voices are equal, I have to listen to all voices. I can’t afford this mentally, emotionally or physically. When all data is available, I have to process all data. I’m not big enough.

Paper edits for me.

— John McWade, founder and creative director of Before and After magazine

Ask Nicely Now

Ask, and ye may receive. Demand, and ye certainly shall not.

And bloom where you're planted

Color Me Mondrian

My Piet Mondrian-Dan Hagen Facebook banner. I am so proud.

Lightning Strikes Me Again

At left, above, is my great friend Jim Hampton, and at right is one Chris Hemsworth. So I officially have a mere single degree of separation from the God of Thunder!
Just, as they say, sayin'.

In the Unlikely Event of a Water Landing

By Dan Hagen

Your green wing chair may be used as a flotation device.

Just bundle up in your cotton robe. Switch on the reading lamp, and call the dog to curl up nearby. You will already have selected an intelligently written hardcover from your shelf, either something big and solidly substantial or one of the smaller, cozier Modern Library editions, friendly to the hand.

Begin to read. Become absorbed in a real meeting of the minds. Let the author mesmerize you into warm doziness from time to time, if you choose, and then awaken refreshed to continue.

Yes, you will float.