First off, my dogs seem to love it. Except for Jody Beth, who can be a bit snooty. Reading out loud forces me to speak every word, even those I murder in my pronunciation. I practice inflections in my voice. I go up and down in volume and tone, as if someone in the room …
Clyde saved my month. Sherry and I must have ticked off the weather saints. They spoke to their boss and requested our little patch of Washoe Valley get slammed with huge amounts of snow, wind and cold. Five-foot drifts are everywhere I wish to go. My former friend David …
Okay, get this. A Harvard study starting in 1938 tracked 724 men to see how their mental and emotional wellness was working out for them. It was a bunch of guys, from the poorest of neighborhoods to Harvard’s finest undergraduates. About 60 of them are still kicking around …
During all of the days of my youth, I never pondered once about what life would be like inside the old me. For example, in junior high school study hall, I never asked myself, ”Donnie, your ears are pretty substantial now, so how colossal will they be when you’re …
Last week, I was late for a lunch meeting at a popular restaurant in Carson City. The parking lot was jammed except for one disabled parking space right at the front door. The lot was slick with ice. The Sierra wind whipped huge snowflakes all about. I previously earned a …
My mom, Irene, from way back when: “Don, why do you just sit there like a bump on a log?” Sherry, today: “Don, when your rear moves from one chair to another, it’s not a form of exercise.” What’s wrong with sitting anyway? I tell Sherry I’m …
I keep happy memories of my youth close to me. Here are three of my favorites: 1. Diving into a pile of raked leaves in my backyard on Halloween when I was seven. I disappeared into the oak and aspen heap and my brother and sisters couldn’t find me. Really …
I’m at a hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, reading a book at poolside, minding my own business. Then there is a commotion. A young female model is being surrounded by three photographers. She wraps her body in a fur coat (it’s at least 90 degrees outside) for a few shots under a …
This year, I was snowed in on New Year’s Eve. Three-foot snow drifts kept me from wild celebrations. Instead, I chose to write down the names of family, friends and business associates I’d like to maintain meaningful relationships with in 2023. I came up with 87 …
Let’s not get too excited, but I’m feeling pretty cocky at the moment. At 77, I’m continuing to figure out all this aging stuff. First off, it hasn’t been easy physically. A widowmaker heart attack, three back surgeries and two hip replacements are not what a fellow …
