My daughter’s most recent weirdly beautiful photo from the sunset coast. Meanwhile, back in Iowa, today was a January heat wave. So my wife took the opportunity to clean the window screens. I came home to a shocking difference… they are now almost invisible. Particle by particle, clinging to the screens, more and more, over…
T -96 Days: Facebook is evil
Facebook is Evil That is my comment whenever Facebook is brought up. I usually get a chuckle in response and a reply of something like, “Yes, I don’t really like it”. But I persist, “No, it is really evil”. I could, and probably will, give my Top Ten Reasons Why Facebook is Evil. But tonight, just…
T -97 Days: Happiness versus achievement
Happiness versus Achievement Brad: Why don’t you get a job Spicoli? Spicoli: What for? Brad: You need money. Spicoli: All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I’m fine. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a “must see” movie that I thought of in a new light. Spicoli’s pursuit of happiness is…
T -98 Days: Where to live
Where to live? We are back debating our top two choices. Our original first choice is right on the dunes, a short (mile) hike over the dunes to get to a quiet beach. A very relaxed area, with mature trees everywhere. Cheaper, but old. Our second choice is bright, brand sparkling new, with modern design…
T -99 Days: Decluttering, simplifying
“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris On the road to decluttering and simplifying our lives, we are parting with many useful and beautiful items. So useful must be…
T -100 Days: Half way there
Oh, we’ve got to hold on, ready or not You live for the fight when it’s all that you’ve got Woah, we’re half way there Woah, livin’ on a prayer Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear Woah, livin’ on a prayer Been waiting a long time for this bit of Bon Jovi… finally……
T -101 Days: Maps
Maps II Earlier this week, a coworker asked about my upcoming “retirement”. I explained that it was a career change. When told I was going to write, and that my first book was a science fiction novel, I got the response of, “Oh, you must read a lot of science fiction”. “No” was my one…
T -102 Days: Driving down a river
MAPS Remember these? Before Google Maps, before Apple Maps, before Waze, before Garmin… this was the way we navigated. Oh, the tension in the car, with kids, my wife the navigator, me driving. And lost. My wife has many fantastic skills… map reading is not one of them. There we were on one memorable trip,…
T -103 Days: Michigan Day
Happy National Michigan Day… January 18th. Who knew? It is also National Winnie the Pooh day.. and Peking Duck Day. So celebrate!. While watching the Tom Petty movie last night someone said, “We found the treasure without even having the map”. Tomorrow I will have an extended post on the subject of maps… it will…
T -104 Days: Talent
Watching the movie “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers:Runnin’ Down a Dream” on Netflix again. Such a good movie. If you haven’t seen it, do it now! How I wish I could find one tiny slice of Petty’s talent within me, and convert it to writing. Regardless, it will be a beautiful search… just one tiny…