The DoD and Me

I had the honor of playing for the United States’ military and Allied troops in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after Operation Desert Storm, in July and August, 1991. True story. Spent five weeks stationed in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and ten days in Doha, Kuwait. I was in college, at Appalachian State University in Boone, North … Continue reading The DoD and Me →

Hit and Run: A True Story

Four years ago tonight, my wife woke me and said, "Your car was just hit out in the street." Of all the ways my wife, or anyone else, has greeted me, this was among the least fun. "Oh, hello. And nice to see you, too. Got any other uplifting news?" She was less than pleased. … Continue reading Hit and Run: A True Story →

Lemonade out of Lemons

You’ve heard the saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” It means you should try to make the best of a bad situation. For example, if you’re sheltered in place during a global pandemic, you can use the opportunity to read easygoing, light-hearted books like Crime and Punishment, War and Peace, or Signs Preceding … Continue reading Lemonade out of Lemons →

Compost Day

Isn't every day compost day? Yes, but today was different. We have a week of heavy rains ahead in San Diego, so today was a good one for our annual tree composting. All that rain will soak the nutrients into the soil and "feed" the trees. ** Compost Bin Before Compost materials are: DirtLots of … Continue reading Compost Day →

Adopt a Banana Pup

San Diego, ever wanted to grow your own bananas? My wife and I "installed" 2 bananas plants in February, 2016. They looked like this... One Manzana (left), one Cavendish (not left) Now they look like this... You'll note there are several more than one Manzana and one Cavendish... The bananas grow off of a stalk, … Continue reading Adopt a Banana Pup →

100 Years Ago Today: The More Things Change…

A brash Republican leader with real estate expertise, questionable ethics, a gift for snarky nicknames, and a stunning political victory over a heavily-favored opponent three years earlier, sued a liberal newspaper for libel in a fit of pique after the publication mocked the leader’s failed business dealings. Sound plausible? It happened one hundred years ago … Continue reading 100 Years Ago Today: The More Things Change… →

Airbnpee

I have mixed feelings about Airbnbs. I prefer 'em when I'm on vacation. My wife and I stayed in a North Park rental when we visited San Diego in August, 2014 for job interviews. Our hosts lived in the main house and were friendly and helpful. We loved it. But now there's an Airbnb next … Continue reading Airbnpee →

Cherimoya Schmerimoya

You haven't heard of the cherimoya?!!? How many of you just clicked the link, got TERRIFIED by the dense, technical writing, and immediately gave up? I did, too. So consider that a little "joke" between us. This guy intimidates me but his enthusiasm is appropriate for the subject. Seriously, he scares me to my core … Continue reading Cherimoya Schmerimoya →

I Hope You Hate Tax Season, Too. Let’s Party!

It’s February. Efficient taxpayers already have their 1099s alphabetized and receipts numbered legibly. They’ll finish their tax return(s) in an afternoon and be disappointed they’re done until next year. Not me. I hate taxes. Every boring step and horrible document. Like those stupid perforated forms that are impossible to open without ripping the damn thing … Continue reading I Hope You Hate Tax Season, Too. Let’s Party! →

Tax Advice for People Who Hate Doing Their Taxes, Part II of Infinity

This post is for anyone who thinks tax returns are modern torture devices: very painful and request waaayyy too much information. Legalese, finance, minutiae and numbers aren’t my thing, either. And I was a CPA in public accounting for 5 years. So take heart. If I can learn this stuff, you can, too. Like an … Continue reading Tax Advice for People Who Hate Doing Their Taxes, Part II of Infinity →