There is never an answer to the "why" question when someone takes his own life. That this man, this friend, was so cherished by so many people and yet felt so overwhelmed, is something I cannot understand. He helped… Read full post »

Walk in beauty
For that is who and what you are
When I am able, to see you, near
I see the sparkling traces of light
Fall away from your every movement
Like an aura, a ghost, golden droplets
Brilliant and flashing
All their own little stars
That give up their fiery lives
For the joy/… Read full post »

See Sally's meme 10 Things About Me and challenge here. 

 1. I'm a terrific cook. Which is good due to mother of invention reasons as my bride has regressed to the point where she could burn water. My kids are spoiled: they require a white wine garlic sauce… Read full post »

all photos © 2007 barry b. doyle

I'm not wild about zoos. But I'm conflicted. I love going to see the animals, and I would not be able to see the vast majority in their natural habitats. And zoos have an educational element that goes beyond  merely… Read full post »

all photos © 2007 barry b. doyle 

Lonely Road 

(continued from this previous post here on Open Salon)

We left off last time talking with Fred, a retired gentleman fishing for catfish and facing his own mortality. I departed from my brief encounter with him to keep an appointmen… Read full post »

all photos © 2007 barry b. doyle

Meet Fred.

I was driving around one day, killing some time before an appointment. A doctor's appointment I really didn't want to go to. I think many of us have had that dread, not knowing what to do with the unknown coming… Read full post »

Preface

This has been an oral story—a wannabe story-teller’s tale. I’ve told it several times and tried as best I could to get into that role while doing so. I’ve prefaced the remarks by warning those relatives present who had witn… Read full post »

This isn't a travel horror story. It's a travel middling irritation story. We're in the midst of another upheaval in the airline travel industry. There are hundreds of experts billions of light years smarter than me that can give you chapter and verse on why this is s… Read full post »

photo © bbd 2003

Today, May 23, we mark our 27th anniversary, a bit less than half my life, and the best half I must say.

We met in Oxford, England--a summer program extension of our university in the States. We stayed at St.… Read full post »

An infamous anniversary is upon us again. "Mission Accomplished" has multiple meanings, one of which is the realization that the president in chief and commander of the free world was ever in a position to become president—a testament to the devious arts of his hand… Read full post »