Friday Bag o’ Random Crap

Today’s domestic project was to flush out the water heater. Until a year ago I didn’t know this was something I was supposed to do, but our plumber set us straight and now it’s on the annual to-do list. Why is it important? Because sediment from hard water builds up inside, makes it inefficient, and […]

You Can’t Read That! Banned Book Review: The Catcher in the Rye

Any time someone tries to keep someone else from reading a book, the intent is to ban … even if the ban applies only to one sixth-grade classroom in some rural town.

Four Corners Tour, Labor Day Weekend 2013

Just back from a five-day motorcycle tour of the Four Corners region, with overnight stays in Farmington NM, Ouray CO, Durango CO, and Flagstaff AZ. Back in 1998 I drove through Durango on my way to a hashing event. It was about this time of the year, with beautiful weather and great riding conditions. There […]

Tuesday Bag o’ Acorns

Let me see if I’ve got this right. First, Republicans in Congress defund ACORN, the community-based organization that works on behalf of low-income families to improve neighborhood safety, help them obtain health care and affordable housing, and, perhaps most important, get registered to vote. ACORN can’t survive without federal funding, so it closes its doors. […]

Paul’s Book Reviews: Fiction, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Memoir, Young Adult

“Nothing is more important mostly than a funeral,” Violet said as they ate a noon lunch of soup and sandwiches. “The whole point of a person’s life—or the lack of a point if it’s more or less rounded—can’t help popping out at a funeral.” She wedged the last triangular bite of wheat bread, cucumber, mayonnaise, […]