As a semi-retired software engineer and an often hated critic of the many apps that come from overseas, especially from the Asian theater, I still receive my share of ‘try this and tell me what you think of it,’ requests. Some are so stupid that I send a polite email to the developer saying ‘no…

Heading north on Highway 101, and as we crossed the bridge spanning Big Lagoon in Humboldt County, I saw rather a large man in a ghillie suit standing chest deep in the water, partially obscured by reeds. When I saw him, I recalled how as a child, I’d seen an elk swimming, head and antlers…

“California’s idea of dining-in is eating outside,” I kept thinking each time seeing a restaurant serving guests in their table, chair and tent-covered parking lots. It was stated in jest and mostly in my head. Having said it once to my wife was enough after she told me to ‘knock it off,’ which I did.…

July 2020 has been a rough month, as a number of friends and acquaintances have died. On July 3, Dorothy Chubbuck passed away in Roseburg, Oregon. She was what we kids called a ‘track mother.’ Her son, David and I ran track when we were in high school and this is how I came to…

Five words at a time. Pounded out in short sentences. Staccato, pointed, sharp, and quick. If you think it’s hard. Then you think too hard. It’s about language and control. Hold back on the emotion. Grasp each word in perfection. Going home is not easy. Seeing home decaying is harder. It is time for goodbye.…

It was as if I had ‘an itch that I couldn’t scratch.’ How many times have I heard that, said this, thinking I knew what it meant. Today I learned, as I scrambled out of the house, half-wild and needy, heading into the lower hills jus’ to the west of us for some quiet time…

In recent days, and every since the Internet decided to celebrate Ernest Hemingway’s birthday, I’ve seen several articles detailing how his suicide was the final outcome of a man dealing with a sexual identity crisis. A number of scholars are citing letter that he wrote over the years to his many wives. It makes me…

“You are so accident prone,” my wife says. “No, I’m not,” I reply, “I jus’ move so fast at times that I become clumsy.” “If you say so,” she smiles sweetly, “But I’ve never seen you move fast once.” “Pffts,” I press through my tightly pursed lips. The injuries, though not severe, take a toll…

Overheard while social distancing: “They oughta call COVID-19  ‘the common core virus.’” “Why’s that?” “Nothings adding up.”  

Early morning dialog. “I have been off work because I won’t wear a mask, so I took a job as watchman for a logging outfit,” he said, “I am getting paid to camp out. You never know what life will bring. Good place and job to get my guns sighted in.” “That is so cool,”…