It’s a good thing I’m not single. Obviously, this is for various reasons we won’t go into here, and not only because there are plenty of undesirable creatures in the dating deep blue sea. But that’s neither here nor there. If I had to put myself out there again (lordy, just typing that gave me shivers!), my primary concern would not be someone’s astrological sign, a predilection for dogs over cats, or their inclination to enjoy long walks on the beach. No, my friends, at the top of my list would be whether they had gotten their shots. Not for dreaded rabies or distemper, although wouldn’t that be helpful during…
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Alexa, you’re OK
This morning as she was pouring her first cup of coffee, Rebecca greeted her new BFF, who now lives in our kitchen. “Alexa, good morning.” “Good morning, Rebecca.” Meet the Echo Show 8, middle child of Amazon’s Alexa-powered HD smart displays. Alexa then proceeded to give us the history of the abbreviation “OK,” one of the most common words in the English language, that traces its roots back to the 19th century Boston. I’m thinking, OK, it’s Tuesday, March 23, and that’s all I really needed to know. Apparently in 1839, abbreviations were all the rage (think today’s LOL and OMG), and “OK” first appeared as a short version for “Oll…
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Memorial day
A year ago, Rebecca and I had just returned from Florida, and before you could say “corned beef and cabbage,” the state of Michigan was in lockdown a week after St. Patrick’s Day. Sadly, today marks one year since the first COVID-19 case in Michigan: March 10, 2020. In a year, there have been 652,589 cases in our state. We’ve lost 16,589 Michiganders to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We personally know of several lives lost, but the one that touched ours closest was our friend, William Brinson, who died April 10, 2020. He was 67, a southern gentleman who worked more than 45 years at General Motors. Dinah,…
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Floaters
SOMEWHERE IN SARASOTA: Tuesday, March 2 – The mounting pressure from the ice pick in my left eye and intense brain freeze was a hundred times worse than the $4 “Pain in the Ass” headache we had gotten at the Daiquiri Deck on Bridge Street the week before. That’s a drink, by the way, “guaranteed to change your attitude.” It’s their hybrid Pina Colada/Rum Runner mixed with 151 proof rum. I could use one. For now, however, I’ll stick with two Extra Strength Tylenol every 6 hours and an ice pack. Let’s just say my Tuesday wasn’t fun. I’m ready to go home now. I actually want my mom. If you’ve ever had eye floaters – black…
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A year in a life
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments, so dear Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes How do you measure? Measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, How, do you measure a year in a life? — “Seasons of Love” from the 1996 musical Rent by Jonathan Larson I woke up this morning with a song playing in my head, which I often do, sometimes for no apparent reason. But today was different, and the reason was as clear as the Anna Maria Island sky in winter. The song was…
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Pickleball partners
BRADENTON BEACH, Florida – I am all in for any game that involves staying out of the kitchen. Of course, I’m speaking of America’s fastest-growing sport: pickleball. Yes, the one with the funny name that your perpetually suntanned uncle or 70-ish grandmother who looks 50 plays. Those in the know say it’s easy to learn, fun to play and highly addictive. You may consider it beneath you to play something named after a Cockapoo called Pickles, but hear me out. Even TV host Ellen DeGeneres declared herself among the sport’s biggest fans, proudly known as a “pickler.” She brought it up on her show last fall with perplexed guest Gayle King…
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COVID-Schmovid?
“Why are all those freakin’ people there?” I asked in disbelief Sunday night, just before the opening kickoff of Super Bowl LV, between stirs of my homemade Sloppy Joes. Rebecca kindly explained that there were actually 25,000 fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and about 7,500 of them were vaccinated health care workers who had received tickets to the game as front-line heroes. The sea of “faces” I saw were mostly cardboard-cutouts of real people – 30,000 of them, to be exact – who paid $100 each to have a virtual presence in the stadium. And, she added, they all had a social media link to find themselves on “fan cam” and possibly…
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Gender reveal
SOMEWHERE IN GEORGIA – Driving to Florida on I-75 inching through a newly blue southern state, we spotted the 37-foot Thor Challenger towing a full-size pickup. This monstrous Class A motor coach named after the Norse god of thunder retails for $212,000. To give you an idea of its enormity, the gross vehicle weight is 22,000 pounds. It has a king bed, theater seats, an overhead bunk loft and an exterior TV. It sleeps eight people comfortably. Across the rear below the rooftop next to the 12-foot exterior RV ladder in a cutesy bold white font was this line: “I identify as a Prius.” So, it’s come to this: gender vehicle…
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We always knew
Who knew a boring White House briefing could be so exciting? We knew. We always knew. One NBC correspondent called it “radical normalcy,” as in hiring qualified officials with expertise. If that’s radical, I’m all over it. Take White House press secretaries, for instance. For 31 minutes Wednesday after the inauguration, newly appointed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (pronounced “SOCK-ee”) treated journalists with dignity, respect and professionalism. She was honest, free of insults, snark and, thankfully, pearls. “I have a deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy, and for the role all of you play,” she said answering her first question from…
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Inaugural visit
You can tell by the car models in the above photo that it’s not a recent shot of the U.S. Capitol. In fact, it’s from October 1985 – more than 35 years ago – when I traveled to Washington, D.C., for the first time. My inaugural visit, so to speak. Back then, I was 25, thin and working at my first real newsroom job in Miami, barely earning $300 a week. Life was good. Little did I know that in less than a year, the company I worked for would grow tired of losing millions, close up shop, and I’d be out of a job. Then every day would be…
