“Well, I volunteer!”
The Chicago Tribune recently reported in an article titled, “Silicon ripple divides San Francisco,” about luxury coach bus service offered by Apple, Facebook, Google and other majors in the Silicon Valley to tech workers to get them to their jobs in the Valley. The private mass transit system appears to separate the high-tech riders with everyone else. The article goes on to say how this invasion of high-techies in the city is also driving up the cost of living for San Franciscans. The transportation service is being viewed as a [...]
Flight-Last Part
“And we’re just about there where we need to turn around.”“Already? Really?”Flight Instructor Michael instructed me to turn left as he pointed to the circles on the instrument panel of where I needed to take the plane. Turning away from the city was difficult. I felt comforted that the city kept pace with me on my right, standing tall and welcoming, a familiar sight as I sat in the unfamiliar.Back to straight and level, my favorite skill of all as I matched the plane’s position with the diagram on one [...]
Flight Part 2
Starting from right to left, “Let’s go ahead and flip that switch, then the next two to the left, good,” until we got to the far left on the panel. The ignition. “Here’s the key, go ahead and turn us on,” he said. I chuckled because hey, at least I knew where to put a key. The engine ignited in sync with the propeller’s start. I was surprised how quiet it was now that we were revved up. Michael pointed out a couple of circles on the panel and what [...]
From the Bucket List
“Oh hi fellas. Good morning,” I said, interrupting a male threesome. Conversation stopped and heads lifted. No sound came from their mouths except for the short cropped, dark-haired man seated. “Hi, Nancy,” he said as he stood up from his desk. The remaining two turned heads first to him and then to me. They walked out of the office, passing me standing in the doorway. “Good morning, Michael. How are you?” I said, shaking his hand. “Good. How are you?” “Just fine. Beautiful weather day for flying.” “Yes. It is.” [...]
The Year of 50, or 49?
I’m no longer fifty. I was no longer fifty about eighteen days ago.At the end of my fortieth decade, I finally felt at peace in my own skin and proud at earning a perspective of seeing my world as half full, not half empty.But who was I kidding? I used to say after turning the half century, I would count backwards as my birthdays roll forward. When I was a kid, I used to think being in your fifties was kinda “up there.” But as a kid, you really don't [...]
Seeing filled, not empty
When the above pictured house was built (1965) there was just enough foliage planted to round out the squareness in corners and soften and fill an otherwise stark landscape. I was only 3 then, my brother, Tim, 6. I wondered if that was Tim standing in the den window just to the left of the garage. It does look like a little person is standing in the window, doesn't it? Maybe it was me? My birch tree, the driving force and theme of my memoir, had not been planted yet. [...]
Doing nothing? That’s something.
In a recent column by Barbara Brotman in the Chicago Tribune she told her readers to not underestimate the power of doing nothing. I agree. But with an additional twist.I know you are probably asking how could anyone possibly do nothing. There's always something. And with the excess of mobile devices in hands, its use should take up any floating free minutes you have. So how is it still possible to do nothing and why would you anyway?And additionally, to have to face your own answer to, "now what?" is [...]
Reading into Memoir
It's all in the books. I've been at an impasse on my memoir. After receiving an editor's comments, of which I agree, I'm dazed to think how to go about incorporating her suggestions. "More about the birch tree." Yep, I know I've got unused "thematic potential" here, as she says. I appeared to have dropped my family members! Since they were crucial to the beginning of my narrative, it is odd that I don't make much mention of them later. My mention of spirituality and lack of continued development of [...]