Like many Americans, and perhaps people all over the world, I was laid off recently from my job. While the smartest thing to do right now would be to fly into a whilrwind of job-seeking activitiy, I find myself instead with the urge to take some time for just me. I… Read full post »

So, what have I done with myself for the last few weeks? Well, that's kind of a hard question, so we'll confine it to what I did this weekend.

Um, well, I witnessed a friend get married. This was his second attempt at the blessed union known as marriage. I take… Read full post »

Last week I received the phone call I'd been dreading for weeks. It was actually two calls: an alert of a missed phone call on my cell phone, and moments after I saw the alert, a ringing on the land line. My stepmother had finally slipped away, having lost her battle… Read full post »

I am home, visiting my parents. Except that I am not home. I am staying in the house I lived in over 20 years ago, in a spare bedroom that was never mine. I am visiting S, my stepmother who is terminally ill, and my father, her caretaker.

In early July… Read full post »

John Leonard, he of the adorable corgi user icon, posted an entry calling for people to show off iconic foods of their area. My area, the San Francisco Bay Area, is home to many different types of iconic foods. I have many favorites, but what I immediately thought of when I… Read full post »

I'm not the type to skip meals. Quite the opposite. Food is, to me, the solution to the world's myriad ills. If I have an upset stomach, food, from plain buttered noodles to an al pastor burrito, often soothes the upset. If I'm going hiking or on a long excursion, I… Read full post »

Okay, everyone, here's a little warning shot across the bow. Yes, one day soon you'll see a post from me (a real one: this one doesn't count).

I'm actually quite intimidated by the really fine writing that surrounds me here at Open Salon. I doubt anyone will see… Read full post »