The MGH Report

Michael G. Haran, Proprietor

Welcome

Welcome to my writer’s website. I have finally gotten around to putting all my writings in one place where they can be easily accessed by friend and foe. My latest commentary is posted on the front page of the blog. My other writings can be found under the “Categories.” Most of them have “tags” for easier searches which are also the purpose of the dated archives. The “Links” are to our education site, “The Institute of Progressive Education and Learning” the screenplay site “Silver Screen Entertainment” and our virtual charter school, The WHATZIT Academy.

If you would like to be notified when I post a new commentary enter your email at the bottom of the blog page. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter but I have to tell you I’m not big on social media. The “Gallery” is a hodge-podge of photos and videos of interest to me. You might check out the humor page where I post thinks that I think are funny – mostly one liners – and see if what I think funny you think funny – or not.Writer Image #5

I’ve been writing for about 30 years now. I write creative fiction, non-fiction, technical, commentary, screenplays, history narratives, grant proposals, k-12 curriculum.  I’m not the greatest writer for that you need to be an avid reader and a good observer of life. I’m pretty good with the life part but I don’t read as much as I should. If you check out my “Bio” it will give you a good idea of what I’ve been writing about.

I love to write – it is my chocolate. Writing exercises my demons because they don’t get out much and they need all the exercise they can get. I write to hide from the world and drown out the white-noise. As that great American philosopher Bill Murray once said, “Writers are moles.” I write so I have an excuse to make the world anyway I want it and I write because I think I have something to say in a creative, insightful and entertaining way.  I’m the most happy when I’m writing. I’ll write anything. I’ll even write Hallmark cards if someone would let me. Fortune cookies?-bring ‘um on.

I write what interests me. I read newspapers every day and that’s why I write commentary. I write about local issues and I write about not so local issues. I write about love and life. I have a fertile imagination and I never lack for ideas. I think it’s the Irish in me. I appreciate great conversationalists and my quest is true love and more money than I can spend in a lifetime (for philanthropic endeavors, of course).

Politically I’m a left of center independent. You tell me the issue and I’ll tell you if I’m conservative or liberal on it. I like to say I’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. I hate waste in government, I don’t trust most politicians, religions or the super-rich, and I think America’s social safety net one of the greatest things ever created. It gives everyone a chance. Now with a madman in the White House I’m devoting more time help get him out. I am a local political gadfly as you will see in my current and past writings and I help with local elections and issues as much I can.

I’m fascinated with evil like the Nazis’ and the KKK because I’ll never understand how people can be like that. But they do make the great bad guys. That said, as a course of nature I also believe good always triumphs over evil. I like sci-fi and fantasy adventure, which will be a big part of The WHATZIT ACADEMY, but I also like most genres if it has an original and compelling story.

I’m excited about the ongoing K-12 education innovation revolution including; progressive teaching/learning methodologies and the digital new generation of curriculum and support materials. It’s exciting to see kids get excited, motivated and engaged when they are given a fun environment to learn in. As is expressed in the educational philosophy of Andragogy  If it’s interesting and fun they will educate themselves.

I like things like family and friends, hiking and fishing. We live near the Russian River so I learned how to fish for steelhead. There’s a big gap between knowing how and actually catching one. Plus I think you have to be smarter than the fish which is problematic for me. I love a great bottle of wine and I’m a wine judge at the Sonoma County Harvest Faire. The varietal doesn’t matter as long as it’s good.

I like kindness, karma and cats. I love women. I think they are the superior Homo-sapiens and are responsible for what civilization we have. They should be allowed to run anything they want because as a young male friend once said, “they get it.”  I like the truth about things. Truth takes a lot of stress out of our lives.

There’s more to me but you’ll have to read my posts to find it. Then tell me what you think – or not.