Today is my older brother Jim’s birthday. He was born in 1946 and died in 1995 from AIDS. Jim was one of those guys who loved both sailing and flying. He owned a 45-foot ocean-faring sailboat and a Bonanza Beechcraft airplane. He sailed to Hawaii in his sailboat; he flew to Texas, picked up our…
Ethan’s Early Birthday Celebration
Ray and I will be out of town on Ethan’s 2nd birthday, December 14th, so we celebrated today instead. Unfortunately, Ethan’s daddy, Ron, is sick in bed with the flu, so he missed the festivities. (Hope you feel better soon, Ron. We missed you.) We started the day with an all-morning visit with Papa and…
Thank You, Dr. Lucas Hilderbrand, for Your Excellent Book Reading at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood.
A few weeks back, I helped coordinate a book reading at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, my socially liberal Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. The author, Dr. Lucas Hilderbrand, read and discussed his non-fiction book, The Bars Are Ours: Histories and Cultures of Gay Bars in America, 1960 and After. Lucas is a film professor…
What My Childhood Self Would Think of My Adult Life
What would the child I once was think about the adult I have become? I think she would be happy with much of my life. She would love the orange grove, my children, their partners, and my grandchildren, Luna, Nico, Lyla, and Ethan. Plus, she would think Ray is funny. She would be pleased that I…
Flash Memoir: Afternoons with Mr. Morgan
I’ve posted this piece before. It’s one of my happiest memories of growing up. I decided this evening was a good time to revisit the kind and loving Mr. Morgan of my youth. Mr. Morgan was a retired Episcopal priest who lived a few houses up from my family on East 9th Street in my…
Perfect Holiday Dessert: Chocolate Eclair Cake
This is one of those recipes that deserves a repost. Here it is. Let me know if you try it. I would love to hear how it worked for you. This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen, and even after I modified it to use agave syrup rather than refined sugar, it is still fantastic….
Flash Fiction: The Power of “Almost”
As Mary leaned down to check on her baby daughter sleeping peacefully in her cradle, she realized she could never leave her husband, George, now that this child had been born. She would have to give him partial custody, and that would mean being separated from this precious gift, this miracle, who had come so…
A Poem that Suits Today: The Irony of Flaws
We all have flaws, yes?Those pesky parts that demonstrateOur humannessThe parts that make usCrimson with shameWhen we realize they have been revealed to othersOur thoughtlessnessOur ego-driven self-centerednessOur inability to be charitable, kind, considerate, empatheticOn a day when we’re overloaded, overwhelmedOver everything and everybody Who is looking at us withA needy eyeYes, flaws are an element…
Memory: Sarah’s Wedding Day + A Photo of Sarah and Gregorio Today
I wrote this entry on November 30, 2013. I am posting this today in honor of Sarah and Gregorio’s 11th anniversary. They have built a wonderful life together with three beautiful children. I love them both very much and am so happy for them. Today is my daughter Sarah’s wedding day. So much preparation culminates…
A Few Photos of Today
We’re in Ojai with our daughters, their husbands/partners, and grandkids for the weekend. It’s been lots of fun, starting with picking oranges for juice and ending with a soak in our wood-burning heated jacuzzi for some and TV for others. A lovely, easy day surrounded by people I love. A true thanksgiving. Sarah and Lyla
20 Minutes a Day 