I want a demiurge — Greek for a subordinate god who shapes and arranges the physical world to conform to some rational and ideal shape.
Now, I’m not trying to get all philosophical on you. Believe me. I don’t know my Plato from a plate of pasta fagioli, but I desperately need someone to bring order to my disorderly universe, and well, if it was good for the Greeks, then it sounds good to me. Read more
You’ve heard of March Madness? Well, I’m suffering from Moving Madness, leaving a home I love to begin life anew in a new city.
I’ve moved a lot in my life. So often I attended 22 schools. Yet, somehow, nothing equals the extreme effort associated with this 175-mile trek across the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Berkeley, Ca. to Reno, Nv.
Maybe it’s because I’m older. Maybe it’s because real estate transactions have gone electronic and I’m a Luddite. Or maybe it’s because the real estate market is so competitive. I don’t know, but this move feels more momentous than any other in my life. Read more
Here in the Bay Area, sitting out the pandemic, I developed a belly-busting addiction.
It’s surprising it’s taken so long. Read more
Sometimes, not often, bad behavior is rewarded with sweetness. This is my story of a lost ring, a lie, and one such sweet reward. Read more
I’m no cat lover. They cause me to sneeze and wheeze. Still, when I saw “5 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Your Cats,” I was intrigued. Who knew cats were so attuned to language! I thought “If cats react to trigger phrases, isn’t it true that family members do too?” So, non-feline lover me read the article, seeking guidance about how to deal with the non-felines in my life. And now, as a result, I’m amending that original cat-icle to include additional Trigger Phrases You Shouldn’t Say to Kitties, Kids, or Kin. Read more
A recent travel industry poll claims that people are so hot to travel trot, they’re willing to give up sex for an entire year for the opportunity to get away ASAP.
Now, I understand after a year of pandemic stuck-at homeness and worry, we’re all antsy and anxious to hit the road, take a train, grab a yak, or even — horror of horrors, board a boat. But still, giving up the pleasures of the bedroom for the pleasures of the road? That’s a road too far! Read more
This first post of the New Year is supposed to be upbeat. After all, this is a humor blog and it is the start of our collective, new, better year. But please bear with me. Instead of looking forward, I’m going to pause and say good-bye to someone special who died — one of my closest friends, Shannon Verser. Read more
Among the most popular pandemic goals people have set: learning a new language. Some are focusing on Spanish. Others French. Not me. I’ve set my sights on something truly exotic — Millennial-speak. And I swear, by the end of our sheltering-in-place days, I’m going to be so hip, errr, I mean, woke, you won’t know me! Read more
Oh, my. Pandemic gifts are the rage. Well, in any case, they’re throwing me into a minor rage or at least a serious holiday funk. What to give loved ones when you’re social distancing? If you’re in need of a few helpful — and healthful — hints, here are eight suggestions, some tongue-in-cheek, some genuinely useful. After all, ’tis the season for pandemic gift-giving!
Cooking turkey to perfection is a challenge. Even seasoned cooks worry. But now, if you fear your fowl might turn out foul, take heart. You can reduce the risk. Trot right out and take out turkey insurance! Read more