It takes something like COVID-19 to recognize how fragile we are – as a nation and as individuals. I thought my generation was rolling along just fine. The Great Depression had long passed, and our parents returned victorious from the second World War when we were just kids. …
Last week, I placed a big, black bag of smelly garbage from home in the back of Blue, my faithful Suburban. I planned to drop it off at the big waste bin at our warehouse, safely away from people’s noses. I got sidetracked and spent the whole day at my office. When I finally …
It’s not rare for high winds, rain and snow to whip over the Sierra mountaintops and descend on Washoe Valley. When this happens, Sherry and I attempt to “batten down the hatches” around our property. Lawn chairs are put up against the house, away from windows. Garbage cans …
I can’t get rid of my old, faithful 2009 Chevy Suburban. I bought it used over a decade ago. Early on, I lost it in a big parking lot, so I got a cheap new paint job. I chose the most unique shade of blue imaginable so it would stick out from other vehicles in …
I admit it’s a crappy poem. I wrote it many years ago, during a period of alcohol, drugs and despair. I hesitate to share it with you today, but I recognize so many of my friends are suffering from loneliness. I was reading the book “Together,” written by Vivek Murthy, the …
My mom worked for Roy M. Quick, a bigwig banker in the Chicago area in the 1960s. She thought he was brilliant. I thought he was an arrogant windbag. Much later, Sherry and I named one of our cats Roy M. Quick (by far a better name for a kitty than a pompous banker). Anyway, …
I lost my temper in a big way. I’m ashamed of myself. I thought I had controlled this negative piece of myself, but there it was on full display. What good does meditation and mindfulness get me if I can’t put it into action during those heated moments? I’m too old for this. …
I apologize. I haven’t kept up with my personal correspondence to many of you. And I love hearing from you. In fact, your little notes of appreciation are a big part of what keeps me ticking. Many of your clever stories put my original blog posts to shame. I hate excuses. …
I’ve made at least 50 video calls over the past month, and I feel I’m getting shorted. In other words, I think most of these calls suck. My staff, my friends, even my family say, “Oh boy, let’s get together on Zoom!” They smile. I cringe. On Zoom, people try so …
I have to win this war. It’s gone on too long, and I’m outnumbered and confused. My freshly sodded yard is the battlefield. I am an old, weary soldier armed with chemical weaponry. The enemies are voles, moles and pocket gophers. I’ve studied the films done by scientists …
