I never met Susan's brother. She rarely spoke of him, and when she did she used words I knew they could never be connected with him. Joe spoke of his only son, but he never looked me in the face as if his dead son was an evil creature and only… Read full post »

Denis loved the young ones, the pretty ones, the ones who didn't have enough self-esteem to cross a busy street without worrying they'd get hit by cars. Denis cruised them easily in the clubs. He looked for the 'one' who was alone which meant he was alone in life where… Read full post »

 Susan watched me wonder through my backyard. The trees and bushes and hedges towered me. I didn't mind. When storms came, and they did come to San Diego, at night I heard the trees buckle and sway like lazy fat people in hammocks. I plucked dead leaves and tugged branches… Read full post »

 "You don't have to cry each time he leaves. If I did what you did, my eyeballs would be permanently red all the time." I frowned because I thought I was being mean. Barbie looked at me as she ate her sandwich and wiped her nose with a paper napkin… Read full post »

I didn't hear Denis leave. He must've left very early in the morning. Because when I woke up he was gone. I knew he'd leave. That was his way. I tried to explain Denis to friends; but I tried to explain him more to me. I didn't understand him sometimes.… Read full post »

"Didn't think you'd wait for me."

"No. I didn't."

Kat turned and smiled at me, got up and walked away. I watched her walk then disappear around the bend of the sidewalk and through the tall hedges. I didn't love her then. I didn't know her. But there… Read full post »

47 years of marriage was a long time. For Kat and Joe it wasn't long enough. Kat was slowly dying in the house across from mine, but no one knew except for Joe who protected her as much as he could. And when she did die in that early afternoon,… Read full post »

 I stayed up late the next night. I didn't want to call Denis. He'd be too upset, or as much as he could be. He held his emotions so close to him it took a stainless steele blade just to pry them away from body. I never knew what he was… Read full post »

At some point in the conversation, the cell died. Denis was left wondering if I was going to call back. So he waited and waited for thirty minutes. And when I didn't call back, he brushed his teeth and went straight to bed. But he couldn't sleep. He kept thinking… Read full post »

 Last night was my second date with David, and it was a surprise. He left a text message wanting to know if I was free at around 10pm. 10pm?! By now I was in my pjs and typing up a clean edited and revised chapter 9 of my novel. He… Read full post »

I spent most of the day at Balboa Park with Carolyn. Today was her day off and after  nice lunch at Wendy's and a bit of shopping at the 99 cent store on University avenue, we drove to the park. It was free museum Tuesday and the place was packed… Read full post »

Most of the days in June are grey. If you live near the coast like I do, everyday looks as though someone took a huge paint brush, dipped it into a giant metal can, pulled the brush out and began to swath the sky in uneven colors of grey. I love the… Read full post »

Blanche was never shy when it came to sex. That's what I loved about her character.

Sex was meant to be fun and playful, dirty and hot. Of course, making babies is important, too. But I'd like to think God invented sex so that we could have some fun the… Read full post »

Don't laugh!

I can't dance. The last time I did any formal dancing was at my sister's wedding almost twenty years ago.

Luckily, I drank a whole bottle of champagne and made out with the photographer who looked like Tom Selleck,  before my friends found me and dragged me onto… Read full post »

 Years and years ago, when I had my tiny studio apartment, I used to do my laundry late at night at a 24 hour laundromat a few blocks away. Back then it was somewhat safe and I didn't really worry too much about getting mugged or assaulted.

I was poor and so… Read full post »

 Jeffrey's grandmother passed away this morning. Even though he and I were never really close as friends, I do feel sorry for him and I convyed a message of sympathy.

Death is a funny thing. I usually don't think about it until it strikes close to home. I guess trying to get… Read full post »

 Each morning I take my prozac and each morning I'm sure there's enough to last me for 30 days.

But now that the Memorial Day weekend is coming up and many things to do between now and then, I looked into my little plastic bottle and discovered only three.… Read full post »

Ben and I were at Mudfest 2010 at Balboa Park this morning.

The name intrigued me, "Mudfest," so I called Ben and asked him if he wanted to go and check it out. Well, it turns out the festivale had to do with clay and all the wonderful uses for… Read full post »

 It's 1968 and I discovered nature for the first time. I'm four years old and my father quickly took that photo.

My two cousins are in the background ignoring me which hasn't stopped in 40+ years.

This past Monday my good friend Bart asked me if I wanted to… Read full post »

Hunter was at my house tonight. He was feeling a bit blue and wandered over here to hang out, eat pizza, and look at my turtles which I keep in a huge tank in my den. Sleeping quietly underwater they ignored him as he peered through the glass.

I was online… Read full post »

My sister Joanna is a tough cookie, fiercly independent, and isn't impressed by a person's moniker or profession. It's who you are in the inside that counts.

So when the history department held their bi-weekly meeting, one of their topics of discussion was Joanna...specifically how she dres… Read full post »

 Gus is training for the Rock 'n Roll marathon here in town. It's next month, June 6th which is on a Sunday.

He came to the movies right after his run. He lifted up his pants and showed us his white socks. Gus didn't have time to change them as his… Read full post »

 Sometimes I never get to see my best friend, Carl. He's busy these days making movies; and when he does call, it's only for a favor.

Bah!

So I went in search of a new best friend. My requirements weren't demanding. I wanted someone to hang with, go to the movies,… Read full post »

 I suppose I could've posted a photo of John Gardner. Instead I put a pic of my favorite orange on youtube, "Annoying Orange." I hope I spelled his name correctly. I don't want this crazy orange to haunt my dreams. Well, better an orange than John Gardner.

He's the one who… Read full post »

 My allowence in the early 1970s was $1 a week. And to earn extra money my friends and I would go door to door asking for any empty coke bottles. We'd then stash them for the week and come Saturday morning haul out the bottles to the nearest 7-11 and redeem them for… Read full post »