Sitting at my kitchen table this morning looking out at the snow, I’m reflecting on global warming and our prospects of another hot and dry summer here in Pierce County . . . and what this means to our environment. I was just reviewing the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Forest Health Program from […]
Ned Visits Food Land – Children’s Book – Review
As a child, reading and cooking were important activities for me . . . they still are. I really love it when I can combine the two. Ned Visits Food Land is an engaging children’s book about food and nutrition. Ned is a young boy living in the big city. His parents work all day […]
Really Bad Movies – But the Price is Right
We’re closing in on two months without cable-TV. Our world didn’t end, but I do miss being able to record favorites. We are still figuring out how to find the best selections. I just learned that my favorite reality TV programs are available for free on Netflix: Forged in Fire, Top Chef, and Undercover Boss. […]
Betamax in a Friendly Bar
A few years ago I was out with my friend, Randy. We were looking for a good used car for his wife. Preferable a Toyota Corolla, hopefully, a blue one. We had started on Puyallup’s River Road and then took the freeway to Lakewood. We got off I-5 onto Bridgeport Way and started looking on […]
If I Could Save Time in a Wristwatch
I have a brand new watch that is almost worthless as a timepiece, but wasn’t cheap. It has a crystal front and back that lets you see the mechanisms at work. Since there is no clock face, however, it is a little difficult to read. Not only that, but it has to be hand-wound everyday […]
Joshua Redman – UPS Jazz Concert
What a Valentine gift our community received from the University of Puget Sound. The UPS Jazz Orchestra performed to an SRO crowd at Schneebeck Hall on February 14th. The concert featured guest artist Joshua Redman, saxophone, performing in an exclusive Northwest appearance with the University of Puget Sound Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Tracy […]
Valentine Lunch at Pacific Grill
Valentine’s Day began for me by creating a Valentine card on a legal notepad for Peg. At the breakfast table I sketched the doors in our hallway downstairs and added a personal note. When Peg saw it she said, I hate those doors . . . which I knew of course. The personal note sounded […]
Anticipation and Pay-off – The Essence of Humor?
Mel Brooks says the essence of humor is anticipation and pay-off. If you’ve ever seen his wildly funny films like The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein, you know exactly what he means. Actually, there are three parts: the set-up, anticipation, and pay-off. The formula is not fool proof, otherwise we would have many […]
Barbecue Dreams – Franklin BBQ
I was eating Chinese food at the Emerald Queen Convention Center talking to Nathan, a fellow member of the Transportation Club of Tacoma, about trucking. He was listening to the story of my friend Mike who bought his own rig so he could haul goods to wherever he wanted to travel. “I’m going to Austin,” […]