You know your marriage is strong when…
When you (mis)spend your life as a writer, as I have, and when you’ve perpetrated millions of words, as I have, other writers always ask you the same question. Do you need silence when you work, or could you work in the middle of the Beltway at rush hour? I always answer Option Two, but for a very unusual reason. I share a study with my spouse. Our click-and-counterclick has... READ MORE
Reasons to pay one’s taxes cheerfully
At my advanced (and advancing) age, it’s not smart to ruin friendships. They are harder than ever to repair and replace. But I fear I may have just blown things up with an equally ancient pal. You be the judge as to which of us is at fault. This friend and I were talking on the phone about taxes. He was bemoaning the burden they place on him, a single man in his 70s who lives mostly ... READ MORE
When someone nears a precipice, help
When his wife was alive, he was a rock. Government executive. Nonprofit board member. Husband/father/grandfather. Always willing to donate an hour or a dollar to someone in need. But then cancer took her. They had been married for more than 40 years. For a few weeks, he remained a rock: No, thanks, don’t need anything. Yes, going to stay right here in the house. No, won’t change a ... READ MORE
Seeing the shades of gray in politics
For better or worse, we will be dissecting the 2020 election results for many months. So, I’d like to dust off my scalpel and dissect a group of voters. For better or worse, I am very familiar with them. Older Americans. We vote more often than any other age group. We give more money to candidates than any other age group. We do phone banking and door-knocking as much as,... READ MORE
Reminiscing about desserts of childhood
At 3 a.m. — sleepless yet again — odd memories can flit through what’s left of one’s brain. The other night, for no particular reason, I conjured a vision of a dessert I haven’t eaten in more than 65 years. It was called Apple Brown Betty. Perhaps it was a mainstay of elementary school lunch for you. It certainly was for me. There it sat, in a little circular dish, sliced ... READ MORE
Poor guy can’t help answering the phone
The phone rings. The digital screen says UNKNOWN CALLER. My wife and I exchange glances. Thus, the ballet begins — again. “I’m going to answer it,” I say. “Don’t answer it,” she says. “You’ll just encourage them to call again.” “Might be Hollywood,” I say. “You know it isn’t Hollywood,” she says. “One way to find out,” I say. And I lift... READ MORE
We certainly are living in hairy times
We sit in our abodes. And sit. Junking on TV and too much food. Blowing through our entire collection of jigsaw puzzles. Calling old friends. Trying to stay one step ahead of the virus. But one force of nature continues, self-quarantine or not. Hair grows. online pharmacy glucophage for sale with best prices today in the USA Mine has. In spades. Yes, I know, at my age, ... READ MORE
Reaching and passing 100, a day at a time
A cross-country plane ride is usually an excuse to secede from the world. Naps. Crossword puzzles. Novels that are so bad that you find the nearest trash can once you land. But on a recent flight from California, I chanced upon a newspaper story that enthralled me. It was about a woman who had just celebrated her 110th birthday. She thus belongs to a very exclusive club called... READ MORE
Please weigh in: Is this a good idea or not?
The parking lot of a bank is an unlikely spot for either a huge argument or a nice idea. But the other day, I was a witness to the first and the author of the second. The scene was a typical one: Eight parking spaces in the bank’s lot, including one clearly marked for those who have a handicapped hang tag. The traffic jam in the bank lot was pretty typical, too. All eight spaces... READ MORE
