Scribblings

These are the rules

  1. For so long as I pay the bills, you have to leave me at least a quarter of the bed to sleep on.
  2. When it’s time to get up and go out, you cannot stretch, look sadly at me, and then flop down again on the bed. If I have to get up, you have to get up.
  3. Sitting directly in front of me to make sure you know when I head towards the treats is a good way to trip me up and break my neck. The upshot of that is… no more treats.
  4. You are not now, nor
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Scribblings

A thought for the day

Archeologists find amazing pottery created by ancient civilizations. Works of beauty.

Assuming the human race survives another 1000 years, what do we think those archeologists will think when they dig up black plastic bowls that once contained frozen soups? What will that tell them about the creativity of our civilization?

Just saying, the Greeks and Romans have it all over us in this regard. Continue reading →

Columns 2017

Dan Fauske

The first Fauske I ever met was Dave Fauske, Dan’s brother. Met him and his wife Betty on my first night in Barrow. The second Fauske I met was Dan. Both brothers approached the world as though everyone was a potential friend and almost everyone I know responded back in kind.

Dan died last week. He left us much too early. Yet he still managed to leave a rather impressive legacy. He spent years as the Finance Director of the North Slope Borough, years as the head of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and then headed up the gas line Continue reading →

Columns 2017

It was a strange week indeed

Last week was definitely a strange week. And it had absolutely nothing to do with anything happening in any recently drained and/or refilled swamp.

For starts, the state’s Chamber of Commerce head Curtis Thayer was quoted in a March 28, 2017 ADN article as follows, “’We want to see budget cuts’ said Curtis Thayer, the head of the chamber. If the price of oil rises enough, he added: ‘We’re out of a problem.’”

Are you kidding me? The head of the biggest business group in the state would like us to put our hands together and clap as hard as Continue reading →

Scribblings

What life is really all about

I leave for San Diego on Friday to spend five days playing with my fairy godchild (I’m her fairy godmother)  and her boys, to pal around with one of my best friends in the whole world, to meet up with my sister and her buddy since kindergarten and spin out memories of being young… it’s really all that’s needed to make life good and full.

And, of course, I’m bringing the boys candy for Easter to cement my place in their hearts as the best weird old lady they will ever know. Continue reading →

Scribblings

This growing old gets old quickly

I know the alternative to old age is death but really… after yesterday’s episode of back pain so severe I couldn’t stay in one position for more than a few moments at a time, I’m starting to wonder about that alternative. Worse of all, I couldn’t keep food down. I’m Italian. We ALWAYS keep food down! If I lose my appetite, I will truly lose my will to live. It’s just in my genes and my heritage. All things can be cured by food. Continue reading →