Scribblings

It was a first for me

Just when I thought I was too old to have anymore firsts in my life, along comes one from a totally unexpected quarter. Every initiative in Tuesday’s election campaign went the way I voted. That has never ever happened to me before. I guess this means that after 42 years, I am finally an official Alaskan.

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Columns 2014

What happened to Thanksgiving

The holiday season is here. It used to be three separate occasions – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Now it’s one long sprint to the finish. Those campaign ads will rapidly be replaced with ads suggesting your family cannot possibly have a good holiday unless you spend yourself into near bankruptcy.

I liked it better when these holidays were each their distinct own moment. But now Thanksgiving seems to be but a way station on the road to the exorbitant spending that occurs in an orgy of frantic shopping and leaves most people with that regretful hangover of surfeit physical

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Scribblings

You end up feeling so helpless

My little BuddhaBubba had some kind of seizure on Sunday evening. I felt so helpless, just holding her and telling her she was going to be ok and not being able to do anything for her. Thankfully my friend Janis was here and drove us to the PET ER. Of course, once we got there, BB just trotted around like everything was fine and she had no idea why everyone was making such a fuss. sigh. For what a Pet ER visit costs, you’d think she could have at least foamed at the mouth a little.

We go to her

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Columns 2014

The last words on a depressing campaign season

This is my last column before the general election. Can I get a “Hallelujah”? In just one week the positively depressing, ugly, noisy campaigns of truthiness will be over. I already voted. Whereas just a short week ago I felt at least a slight twinge of guilt when I walked from my mailbox straight to my recycle bin with all the political mailers, now I do so with a completely clear conscience.

I recently spoke with a friend who explained that he was not voting for anyone this year. I was shocked, as I knew him to be a conscientious

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Scribblings

High school reunion

In a little over two weeks, I’ll be heading East to my 50th high school reunion. For a generation that swore to never trust anyone over thirty, this number is painful. On the one hand, I’m glad I actually managed to live this long. On the other hand, I can’t believe I managed to live this long. Given some things I did in my past, the betting would not have been in my favor.

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