May 4, 2010
The goal all along was to simply get cigarettes out of my life. I'd tried this before. Many times. The last time I tried it was on October 25th, 2009. A couple things were different this time around. In addition to using the nicotine patch, I was also given an anti depressant that, its creators were pleased to discover, also seemed to help reduce nicotine cravings. The other thing that was different was a decision to use "pride" in my…
Mar 29, 2010
I've lived in Sonoma Valley since 1996. I'm convinced that if God somehow found himself earthbound, this is where he'd set up home. Still, after 15 years of living in God's Country, I'm leaving. I've always known that the things that shape the outlines of our lives are drawn not from circumstance, but from the relationships we form and hold dear. We bend our lives to shape circumstances. But we change our lives to account for the people in them….
Mar 26, 2010
The Zig Zag Cafe is located behind and below the famed Pikes Market in Seattle. It's a pretty hard place to find for someone unfamiliar with the layout of this area of town. Not deterred by a crooked line of sight, I set out with my girl to find this place that has been described to me as the home of one of America's best bartenders. Finally, after marching past a few thousand pounds of salmon, dodging construction and raindrops,…
Feb 19, 2010
Birthdays are good occasions to self assess and to look back, as well as forward. In this case, it is an abbreviated look back. On the occasion of my 47th birthday… A Short History of My Life (with drinks) February 20th, 1963: Born in Marin County, California at roughly 2am and immediately handed over to my parents George & Alverna (Began my association with baby formula) September 1968: Begins formal education at Lu Sutton Elementary School in Novato, California. Begins…
Feb 12, 2010
Yes. Valentines Day is a Hallmark Holiday; a corporate concoction that plays on our deepest feelings for the purpose of selling us stuff. That's not what perturbs me most about the occasion. What really gets to me is that this corporate creation is a good idea. Why not set aside a day to celebrate love? Yes, I know. I've heard it and I understand it and I agree with it: We ought to celebrate our love and the love of…