Suprise Me

It is his scent that comes back to me most strongly: a mixture of leather, Barbasol shaving cream, and cigars. Read More

Dear Mom and Dad, I wonder if you felt the same emptiness I did, when you dropped me off at college in the late 1970s.  I was standing at the entrance of my dorm at the top of a hill, watching as you drove off in the pickup and camper.  I don’t remember tears, but… Read More

Nancy, our new office manager, was pushing hard on everyone in the clinic to sign up for a rafting trip.  She had gone with the same outfit before and assured us it would be wonderful.  We would all simply blast off in carpools after work on Friday for the 7- hour trip to the Klamath… Read More

Attacking the blank page in the early-morning hours can give us more of a chance of winning the battle of writing. Read More

Monsoons are more than just rainy days.  They are the wet season, the dry season’s counterpoint.  The rains are intense downpours, not drizzly affairs, and they sweep in ferociously. They are the annual water renewal that makes life possible.  Of course, that is changing along with the rest of the climate, but still. The small… Read More

I’ve enjoyed some of the movies that have made top ten lists. Parasite, The Irishman, JoJo Rabbit, and Marriage Story are particularly good among the ones I have been able to see. But my favorite movie of the year for pure enjoyment is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It was released this summer, so people… Read More

Scouting was a big part of my younger years. I enjoyed the camaraderie with other Scouts, had a great time camping, and learned a number of skills that I carry to this day. Read More

Although I don’t look forward to going to the dentist, I do appreciate the importance of the work–maybe because I have always had dental issues, from cavities to crowns, partial plates and bridges to implants, orthodontia to tooth extraction.  Much of it is thanks to genetics, which forgot to provide me a full secondary set… Read More

The lost part of turning 75 on is easy to write. Yet, I hope I have found the perspective and patience to look forward rather than to wallow in the misery of the present. Read More

While at first I didn't relish the extra burden, the experience turned out to be a gift. Read More