St Vinnies opened up their Tacoma Thrift Store on the 16th and their Puyallup Thrift Store on the 17th of June. Funds raised by the sale of donated goods are used to pay wages of employees and help people throughout the county with emergencies to meet the obligations of utilities, rent, house payments, and more. […]
Black Lives Matter – Early TV – Tacoma's Hilltop and Family
I grew up in the 1950s watching TV. I barely remember going to a pre-school on South J Street before attending Stanley Elementary from Kindergarten to the fourth grade. My mother first worked at the Mount Rainier Ordinance Depot at Fort Lewis and then she worked at for the Boy Scouts in downtown Tacoma just […]
Get Back Home – A Love Song About Western Washington – Seattle Songwriter Daniel D. Howell
Meet Daniel D. Howell who says, “First and foremost . . . I’m a songwriter. I’ve written many songs from country, and pop, to hip-hop.” I’m pretty sure the hip-hop was when he was quite a bit younger. But people who like music generally appreciate many different kinds. Daniel says, “I’m inspired by all different […]
Using Walls as Your Canvas
Sometimes you can see the writing on the wall. You can stop and think about what it means, and other times you can simply enjoy the paintings you see and dream. Archaeology reveals that cave paintings and figures of art first appeared nearly 40,000 years ago. Art is still with us. Our daughter Andrea painted […]
Steilacoom High School Virtual Graduation During our Pandemic
My son Del and I video taped graduation at the University of Puget Sound for ten or twelve years. Del ran camera while I looked for interested shots. We had a riser right in front of the clock at the grandstand. We taped in the rain. We taped in the hot sun. We taped on […]
Love Letters are Being Opened and Read in Lakewood
When I worked out of town, I would send either cards or letters home to my wife. How do people know what your real feelings are unless you tell them and show them. A.R. Gurney wrote more than forty plays, the most popular being The Dining Room and The Cocktail Hour. He began in college […]
Sneering at Walmart?
In casual conversation with friends I mentioned my excellent exposure to Walmart. Both friends didn’t sneer, but they questioned the purpose of shopping there. Since then another friend has cast aspersions on the shopping store giant. This last Tuesday an additional friend, Rich M. sent me a note: “Just a question. Why do you shop […]
Depression, Anxiety, and Plenty of Solitude
Glass windows can be as confining as iron bars when you want to be out in the world with friends and family. Before Covid-19 struck I had lunch regularly with friends at restaurants or at our home in Tacoma’s Northend. Also, Peg and I and I had long standing dinner dates with friends on most […]
Name Calling, Accusations, Demonizing, and Witch Hunts
No, I’m not talking about the current political scene. I’m talking about the good old days; the days of black and white TV and wholesomeness that dripped and drooled venom and ruined the lives and livelihood of people who worked hard at their professions. I’m addressing the THE MCCARTHY ERA and the House Committee on […]