AMERICAN LIFE
A BIRTHDAY, A MARRIAGE AND HEALING
My wife Carolyn turned 77 last Tuesday, and we’ve been married 55+ years, both of which I address to a fragmented America. Carolyn proudly proclaims her age. Many people fudge theirs, hoping to prove they remain strong physically and mentally to get that next promotion, job or desirable partner. Vanity plays a role. The legendary…
Read More15¢ A SLICE
Inflation, a prime issue for Donald Trump voters, took me down memory lane. A (small) 14-inch pizza (eight slices) from my neighborhood go-to, Village Pizzeria, runs $21-$31. When I was a kid in 1950s New York, a slice of cheese pizza cost 15¢ Hamburgers in my Queens neighborhood also cost 15¢. Then Hamburger Train—a model…
Read MoreFIVE THINGS KEEPING ME SANE
With the presidential election 11 days out, if you’re not going a little crazy, you’re not trying. Me? I rely on five ways to stay (somewhat) balanced. • My morning routine. After breakfast with the San Francisco Chronicle sports section, I walk a mile or more. Returning home, I enjoy coffee watching CNN and reading the rest…
Read MoreTHE FOG OF LIFE
The new Jewish year, 5785, began Wednesday evening and presented me with a serious, if ongoing, challenge. At 80, I find myself increasingly lost in the fog of life. While my head remains clear, the older I get, the less certainty I cling to. In synagogue for Rosh Hashanah services, we prayed for peace. This…
Read MoreTARGET ON MY BACK
There’s a target on my back, though it doesn’t take the circular shape with a bullseye. It’s a six-pointed star—the Star of David. Who put it there? The former President of the United States. On September 19, Donald Trump told attendees at a campaign event titled “Fighting Antisemitism in America,” “I’m not going to call…
Read MoreMY ELECTION DILEMMA
The second assassination attempt on Donald Trump leaves me with a dilemma. Do I tamp down my anti-Trump remarks because they might lead some unbalanced person to violence? I well remember the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. I was a sophomore at Alfred University. Also the 1968 murders of Martin Luther…
Read MoreHAILING THE UNSEEN
A hundred red firetrucks get you thinking. Six weeks ago, Carolyn and I started our return drive from Willow Creek in Humboldt County where we’d visited family. As we headed down route 299 to Arcata, a new shift of firefighters convoyed up to a fire near (but not threatening) our cousins’ summer home. Sometimes, we…
Read MoreTHE VEEP AND THE JEWS
Kamala Harris’ pick for running mate—Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota—has raised new questions about Jews in America. In a recent New York Times article (“For Some Jewish Democrats, Heightened Worries About Anti-Semitism”), Jennifer Medina and Katie Glueck wrote, “For many American Jews, the prospect of Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania as a running mate for…
Read MoreLESSONS FROM THE COURTROOM
Most people flee jury duty, but a recent experience confirmed that our courts offer much to learn. Recently, I reported to San Francisco’s Hall of Justice on Bryant Street. It sits in an area south of Market Street where most San Franciscans don’t go. In the ’90s, I served on two criminal juries there. The…
Read MoreON TURNING 80
This Tuesday, I turn 80. What have I learned? I’m imperfect. And the older I get, the less I understand. Yet, I still claim to know a few things worth sharing. But first, don’t ask me to predict who’ll win the 2024 presidential election. Or whether Joe Biden will withdraw from the race. Or if…
Read MorePRIDE AND STRAIGHT PARENTS
Pride Month in San Francisco concludes Sunday with the annual parade up Market Street. Carolyn and I have a personal connection. We have a trans son, Yosi, and a gay son, Aaron—and gay son-in-law Jeremy. Also, a straight son, Seth. We love them equally. Pride serves as a celebration for two straight parents who learned…
Read MoreWHEN IS IT TIME TO STEP ASIDE?
Getting old poses challenges. One: defining old. A second: knowing when to step aside. This quandary is evident in the historical play The Lehman Trilogy, closing in San Francisco this Sunday. Written by the Italian playwright Stefano Massini and translated into English by Mirella Cheeseman, The Lehman Trilogy, directed by Sam Mendes, opened in 2018 at London’s National Theatre.…
Read MoreHAVE WE ALREADY FORGOTTEN?
Last Monday, Americans observed Memorial Day. Or did we? Some people flew flags (Carolyn and I did not) or went to special sites such as veterans cemeteries and memorials (we did in neighboring Presidio National Park). I suspect such observances were more common in the Heartland. I also suspect that to the majority of Americans,…
Read MoreDEFINING AMERICA
I’ve written about America’s regional differences and similarities—physical and cultural. A difficult question nags. Short of a defensive war, what defining aspect of America can put the United back into the United States? I’ve exchanged thoughts with an American friend in Poland, who teaches university classes on American life. We agree that “freedom” is too…
Read MoreGULF COAST ADVENTURE
Two weeks ago, I wrote in “Do I Live in America?” that California was a legitimate part of the United States. Last weekend, Carolyn and I saw that Texas and Florida are just as real—if uniquely so. Thursday, we flew to Houston to see Carolyn’s distant cousin, Dr. Robert Power. Bush Intercontinental Airport is as…
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