Two Gents' Worth
April 29, 2025
Civil Society
It was on the 10th day of our most recent vacation — last Tuesday afternoon, to be precise — when I made the type of mistake that you remember all your life. So naturally, I feel compelled to tell you about it. I was inside the women’s restroom at the Shell gas station in Hood…
Read More about To Ames and BackCivil Society
In my last posting, I riffed about going back to my alma mater — Fresno State — for the first time in decades. I was doing research in the campus library last Friday, and being there — on campus, that is — generated a whole lot of memories. Well, I went back again today for…
Read More about More memories? Oh, yes
Civil Society
I took a trip back to my past this Friday when I returned to my university alma mater for the first time in years. I had to go to the library at California State University, Fresno (which we locals call “Fresno State”) to conduct research for a report I’m doing for the Madera County Historical…
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Something’s been rattling around inside my brain for a couple of months now, so I figure I’ll kick it out here, and we can both forget it. It was something Steve Karlin — the great 6 and 10 p.m. anchor on KCCI-TV in Des Moines — said on his last newscast before he retired. Trying…
Read More about Still Curious
Agriculture
So what kind of winter have you had, wherever you are in this great nation of ours? Out here — in the Great State of California — here’s what we’ve faced so far this winter — with still a few days to go before spring shows up on your calendar and ours. Eleven — yes,…
Read More about One Crazy Winter
Civil Society
The other night Sharon and I were watching one of our favorite police procedurals on CBS when one of the main characters uttered a line so ridiculous — I knew I had to steal it. This character is the nerdiest of the nerds. He was trying to sweet-talk a young lady into letting him into…
Read More about Birthday thrill-seeker?
Civil Society
You might wonder — in fact, I hope you’re wondering — what attending a golf tournament, comedian Bill Murray, and my heart thingy — more properly known as a pacemaker — have in common. Well, sit back, rest a spell, and I’ll tell you the story. I promise it won’t take long. The whole tale…
Read More about Golf, Bill Murray & My Heart ThingyCivil Society
Yes, Sharon and I plan to spend this Christmas in a yurt on the Central Coast of California. After all, everything was going just fine last year, when we “yurted” for the first time — until the pellet stove stopped heating inside our yurt on a quite-cold night — and until the bathroom building outside…
Read More about Another Yurt ChristmasCivil Society
I’m pretty sure my long-time buddy Albert would have enjoyed the walk I took through our old Hamilton Junior High neighborhood in Fresno a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful Saturday morning in early November — sunny and not too warm or too chilly. The neighborhood trees were reflecting autumn’s glory, with red and…
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Civil Society
We’re nearing the end of our second week here at Mr. Disney’s World in Orlando, and what a crazy week it’s been. We spent our first few days doing the usual things around these parts — visiting the theme parks, eating, taking wonderful pictures, eating, getting into the hot tub at our resort, and eating. …
Read More about Walt, Ron & Nicole