At the retirement center, I sank into a chair opposite a man who once had a distinguished career. Knowing he wasn’t a loquacious individual, I started the conversation, asking how he’d spent his afternoon.  “Reading,” he replied.  “It passes the hours.” The previous day,

In my late 20’s, after returning to the west coast from Africa, I sought a temporary job before entering graduate school. The employment office sent me to apply for clerical work with a large advertising firm in Los Angeles.  I was excited. Advertising had always interested me. For

I chose to give up my car a while ago.  Losing my transportation, together with the advent of the pandemic, has forced me to experiment with grocery deliveries.  I’m a slow learner.  Sometimes, one avocado arrives, or two, but never the third that is necessary for my guacamole. 

Would you pay to read these blogs?  Don’t gulp. I know the answer.  Recently, a friend interrupted when I started to quote myself.  “You know I don’t read your blogs regularly, don’t you?”   Her confession silenced me the way bird droppings landing on my head might do.�

For a writer, today, publishing is like walking through a landscape that keeps changing. Amazon’s war with the big publishing houses is an important reason.  For a while, there seemed to be a truce between the two, but it appears Amazon has used the time to up its game.  Recently,

Who doesn’t like a good fairytale? Few. I suppose that’s why when Jeff Bezos sent me an email announcing my four novels could be translated into foreign languages for free, a smile crept across my face. Long years have taught me it’s best to keep my hands in my pocket whenev

Rebecca Solnit, the author of Men Explain Things to Me, tickles my funny bone.  She has a sharp wit and a sharp pen which she exhibits regularly as a columnist for Harper’s. In addition, she is well-versed in a number of subjects, having written about the environment, landscapes, p

I don’t click on Amazon much.  Their sales strategy bothers me. For example, why I should pay almost $200 a year for the benefit of “free” shipping.  Do I detect an oxymoron here?  No matter.  I’m a bricks-and-mortar person.   The last item I purchased was an electric to

While in public office, I opposed local government giveaways that enticed corporations to move to their communities.  The promise of jobs and payrolls taxes  seldom matched expectations. One company decided to build in Portland after receiving huge incentives. What the locals got in

Walking through the mall near my apartment is as quiet as walking through a graveyard. Where, I ask, have all the people gone?  Worse, where are the stores?  Nordstrom, Payless and Radio Shack have disappeared and Sears, given the few people wandering the aisles, seems to be hanging