Tucked on a shelf in the back of a closet we use mostly for ‘overflow’ is a white cardboard box filled with old 45s. This is not my complete collection, mind you, just what has survived the decades since I last played them. In my adolescent years I had a classic storage box, with a lift-up lid and … [Read more...] about Lost on the River
A rainy day playlist
My relationship with weather is irrational, and I know it. It’s a rainy Tuesday—a very rainy Tuesday and all I want is for the rain to go away, or at least let up by the time I head into the city. More crucial, the relentless precipitation is exposing weak spots in a roof that needs repair. Am I … [Read more...] about A rainy day playlist
It’s a beautiful day; so why are you on Facebook?
Sure, you’re outside on your deck, laptop/iPad/iPhone/iWhatever at the ready. And you’ve set yourself a time limit, twenty minutes max. Only curiosity trumps will power once you start scrolling through status updates of friends, perusing pages you follow. Overload is an understatement, but something … [Read more...] about It’s a beautiful day; so why are you on Facebook?
“We got older, but we’re still young…”
Summer is a time of outdoor music festivals, something I used to cherish much more when I lived on the East Coast. It just went with the season. Now in California, I've never gotten my shit together to make a picnic of a Hollywood Bowl concert, but as I wait in line for an overpriced burger, that … [Read more...] about “We got older, but we’re still young…”
Happiness is . . .
Take a minute, say the phrase, ask yourself what comes to mind. A warm blanket? A warm puppy? A warm gun. That first hint of springtime green which really is gold. A deep ruby Grenache that catches the light and warms the spirit. A walk around the lake, alone, or through a museum, … [Read more...] about Happiness is . . .
Every bag has its day
At the very beginning of The Museum of Innocence, Orhan Pamuk’s novel of obsessive love, the narrator buys his fiancée a designer handbag she’d spotted when they passed by a boutique the night before. A simple, thoughtful gesture—to please the woman he’s engaged to—sets his life on an expected … [Read more...] about Every bag has its day