The mud-colored water of Silver Creek — The Creek, though we pronounced it “crick” — would turn your tightie-whities red, the color of Arizona red rocks, the color of pueblo clay. Stains that would never remove. And so you’d score points with your mother if you took them off and left them somewhere else while [...]
They say you are who you are by the age of three. My grooves were formed to a Martin four-string guitar. I fetched the case, set it down gently and lifted the top without touching the instrument inside. Only my father could pick it up and sling the strap across his shoulders, resting the cherry wood curves [...]
When Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds recorded Murder Ballads in 1996, I thought it was scary but incomplete. He managed to capture the horror but not always the beauty of this folk genre. With respect to Nick, I have attempted to put together my own playlist from a collection I have assembled over many [...]
A couple of weeks ago, my lovely partner and I sent a giant book of Mad Libs to my nephew, Ben, as part of a birthday package. This morning I was thrilled to hear from my sister that Ben and his sister, Carolyn, have been in nonstop giggle-fits over such adjectives as stinky and [...]
Last year, my relationship of nearly 10 years ended. I moved to LA, and six months later began dating someone here. It didn’t work out. It didn’t even come close, really. Then, just recently, I started seeing someone new. Her name is Randi.
I liked her right away. She’s funny, smart, warm, attractive. A writer. From [...]