memoir – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

May 8, 2026May 7, 2026 Posted in airline ticket, Chronicle, CVS, deejay, face masks, Facebook, fruit, lipstick, memoir, milestone, pandemic, protestors, relationships, songs, vacation, weddingLeave a comment

(re-run) This morning (Sunday) I ran out to get the San Francisco Chronicle, bought fruit, and then dropped off a library book, mailed a letter, and parked in front of CVS, waiting for the pharmacy to open. Why not run errands later, you ask? Because the Chronicle sells out fairly early, so I settled in… Continue reading Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

Lucky Thursday

May 7, 2026May 6, 2026 Posted in memoir, Iowa, Costco, cell phone, board and care, Verizon, cake, pandemic, face masks, vaccine, hair salon, bank account, stimulus money, luckLeave a comment

(re-run) The week started off with its share of problems. My sister’s stimulus payment came in the form of a debit card, which is hilarious because she is in no position to shop. I took the debit card to my bank, and they would not let me deposit it into my account. Sis has no… Continue reading Lucky Thursday

It Must Be Getting Close to Summer when . . .

May 6, 2026May 5, 2026 Posted in asphalt, California, dancing, dogs, drinking, humor, kitchen remodel, live music, memoir, park, pizza, relationships1 Comment

(re-run from 2019) I am sitting in my fave chair. My adult son just told me over the phone how to unfreeze my laptop (turn it off and then back on). I can hear the squeak, squeak, squeak of the swings in the park next to me. The windows are open just enough to let… Continue reading It Must Be Getting Close to Summer when . . .

I’m Glad I Asked

May 5, 2026May 5, 2026 Posted in carcinoma, dermatologist, hats, melanoma, memoir, Mohs, outdoors, physician's assistant, surgeonLeave a comment

(re-run) The other day I went to the dermatologist for the second time in two months. The physician’s assistant from the first appointment gave me a full body skin check since I’ve had melanoma. When I pointed out the strange colorless bump above my eye, she said, “I don’t do eyes. Go see the other… Continue reading I’m Glad I Asked

Between Chorus Concerts

May 4, 2026May 3, 2026 Posted in chorus, chorus lyrics, lyrics, memoir, memorization, memorizing mmusic, off book, rehearsal, singing, tea cupsLeave a comment

One chorus concert is in the bag, in the record books, wrapped up. The second one is in less than four hours. I’m hoping it will go as well as yesterday’s, which was not perfect on my part. In my defense, I woke up with a splitting eye headache, a runny nose, and lots of… Continue reading Between Chorus Concerts

Worst Professor Ever

May 3, 2026May 2, 2026 Posted in Chicano, college, grad school, Hispanic, humor, Iowa State University, La Raza, Latino, memoir, Midwestern, Nebraska, professor, racist, relationships, research paper, University of Nebraska at Omaha, UNO, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) She taught the research class at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I needed the course to earn my master’s degree. It would be easy. I’d written dozens of research papers at Iowa State. She said we could choose any topic. All we had to do was take a position, defend it with an… Continue reading Worst Professor Ever

The Value of Rock and Roll Music

May 2, 2026May 1, 2026 Posted in Beatles, John Lennon, memoir, Michael Jackson, Northern Songs, Paul McCartney, song rightsLeave a comment

(re-run) John Lennon is turning over in his grave. One of his biggest songs, All You Need is Love, is now a GAP commercial with Katy Perry singing it as she poses for the camera in GAP clothing. Dick’s Sporting Goods uses Come Together in an ad, and Airbnb uses In My Life. If only… Continue reading The Value of Rock and Roll Music

Freaky Friday

May 1, 2026April 30, 2026 Posted in Carmel, dancing, humor, memoir, Monterey Bay, relationships, travelLeave a comment

(re-run) It was a beautiful day in Monterey County. I got up early, ate breakfast, showered, wrote a blog post, and stuffed more branches (blown down in the last storm) into the green can. Then I left for Carmel to be there when the thrift stores opened at 10:00 a.m.. One of them was having… Continue reading Freaky Friday

Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

April 30, 2026April 29, 2026 Posted in birds, butterflies, California, dogs, foxtails, gardening, insects, lizards, lockdown, memoir, Round-Up, Roundup, weeds1 Comment

(re-run) Yesterday, I made the short trip to my little downtown beach town, got some cash from the ATM, picked up two newspapers, and headed back home. On the way into town, I saw two city workers spraying Roundup on the weeds in the median strip. They were still at it, in the very same… Continue reading Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Chorus Concerts a Super-spreader Weekend

April 29, 2026April 28, 2026 Posted in chorus, COVID, headache, mask, memoir, super spreader, vaccine, weddingLeave a comment

(re-run from 2021) I’m in a chorus with 94 people. Last spring we performed Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon. We all had to show a negative antigen test from Friday morning. We thought we were golden. We took off our masks. I’ve been wearing a mask to every rehearsal for four months. But… Continue reading Chorus Concerts a Super-spreader Weekend