Carry-on “Grand-son” sounds a whole lot like “carry-on.” (As in luggage.) Coincidence? I think not. #carpebaby When it registered in my heart that my time here in Portland meeting and bonding with my first grand baby was drawing to a close, things got real real fast. As I’m typing this little note with one thumb … Read more
I’ll be honest. I don’t like growing old. But I like growing old with John. John’s in charge of coffee. 99% of the time, he sets the pot for morning the night before. When I wake up, there’s usually a steamy mug waiting for me if he’s awake first. If it sat too … Read more
Fresh Laundry in Opposite World Turns out, counter intuition is the ticket. We get the message to “trust our gut.” Maybe sometimes that has value, but I’m not sure. I find more and more that if I do the opposite of my first instinct, it turns out to be the right choice. Some people … Read more
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! John and I really didn’t travel much (geographically) until 2004 or so. But now that we can, we both have a touch of the wanderlust. I love that we’re both adventurers—simpatico—whole-heartedly embracing the world around us. We are so compatible that way. When we’ve heard other couples talk about … Read more
To Sir with Love This is a photo I took through the back window of our rental car in Cabo a few years ago. We were just picking up our vehicle to begin our little Baja adventure. The guy with the Italian hand language was a time-share dude trying to convince John we should … Read more
Notes on a photo Yard of our home in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, circa 1966. I loved my grandpa. A moment before he was leaning back in his backyard La-Z-Boy, and now he’s leaning forward anticipating the photo. I remember his cane. At the ready, I had dual modes … Read more
The Doing: Going Above and Beyond At the drive-thru, I receive my bag of Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich and soda and say thank you to the young man. (I say young man now because I’m old.) He says, “It’s my pleasure.” He says it like he means it. I put my foot to … Read more
Algorithm and Blues I’m wrapping up a six-month contract with a social media management firm. I’d love to have them longer, if I could. Katie Wagner Social Media has been managing my social media channels (author FB page, Twitter and Instagram) ramping up to impress publishers for my new book. Publishers want … Read more
The White Pizza I remember Stacie telling me about the “white pizza” at Z Pizza. She said it was her favorite. She’d mentioned this after she’d been on her carb-free Ketogenic diet for some time, the diet she remained faithful to to help fight her brain cancer. Faithful until the very end/her new … Read more
Yes And “Yes, and” is a rule-of-thumb I learned in improv comedy class, and it’s also a good approach to general collaboration and personal growth. It takes humility. I’m proposing that the secret to peace might be the dynamic duo of “Yes, and.” Why we resist that combo astounds me. I don’t … Read more