I went to a Friday fish fry recently. It was back to the old buffet style food line that I remember so well. No one had a mask on. Salt and pepper shakers were back on the tables. The sneeze guard was the only protection the food had. I was fine with that and no … Continue reading "The New Realities of Life After COVID"

History made me hungry. Well, not exactly. More specifically it was The History Channel’s “The Food That Built America” that made my mouth water. This series explains the trials and tribulations American food manufacturers went through to create food we didn’t know we needed, like Twinkies, KFC and Wonder Bread. In America that often meant … Continue reading "Living the Dream On The Food That Built Me "

Seniors are encouraged to continuously exercise their minds and bodies. We’re supposed to cut back on TV, read a lot and at least go for regular walks. That’s the bare minimum. And I thought doing nothing was always an option. But since retiring I’ve noticed a push to get seniors to try games and puzzles … Continue reading "Puzzle Projects Present Perplexing Pastime"

I just had to try it. It sounded too good to be true. Here was an opportunity to try a program that can research and write about almost anything you tell it to. I love trying new stuff, especially when it’s cutting edge and can actually do some useful work. Also, it’s free right now. … Continue reading "ChatGPT Not Quite Ready for Column Writing"

I’m turning 68 this month so have decided I should probably plan my future. I’m not planning a new career. I’m just a pensioner who wants to do some new things before I reach my expiration date. It’s my bucket list. I’ve mentioned it before but these things can change on you, especially when COVID … Continue reading "At 68, I’m Just a Disordered Senior"

My bedroom clock had failed. I noticed it as I got up to use the bathroom in the wee hours of a recent morning. Well, I thought, I’ve had that clock since I bought it at a Crazy Days sale at Radio Shack when it was downtown. Guess I got my money’s worth. But the … Continue reading "Power to the People Sometimes Needs a Reset"

I talk to myself. A lot. I think it’s because “myself” is the only person who has no choice but to listen to me. As someone said, “You can’t ignore your inner self.” Well, you could drill down deep into psychology over that. But let’s not. My point is that I think it’s just fine … Continue reading "Carrying On Conversations With Me, Myself and I"

Hello, my name is Randy. I use pronouns he/him. That is a suggested new way to introduce myself. This lets everyone know what pronoun to refer to me as based on what gender identity I prefer to align with. Maybe I’ll add my pronoun the next time I wear a name tag. Gender identity has … Continue reading "Gender Revolution Transforms Pronoun Use"

We almost couldn’t stand it. But we had to. We had no choice. Without a doubt, for the kids at Colvill School, the longest weeks of the year were those between Thanksgiving and the start of Christmas vacation. And it showed. It didn’t matter what grade you were in or for that matter what school … Continue reading "The Longest Days Are Always Just Before Christmas"

This Thanksgiving we should collectively be thankful for at least one thing: Thanksgiving. When Thanksgiving was first experimented with going back to President George Washington, the intent was that Americans should pause and give thanks for a day when harvest season is over. That actual date was Thursday, November 26, 1789. In 1863 President Abraham … Continue reading "Thanksgiving for Thanksgiving’s Sake"