I have had many preconceptions and misconceptions about what my retirement would be like. I spent my whole working life actively imagining retirement and even started saving for it in my thirties. Now that I am retired going into my fourth year, some early intentions are coming true, some are pending, and quite a few […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Fan Mail–Yippee!
“Fan mail,” I thought, “Yippee!” There it was in my P.O. Box 234 down at the Benicia Post Office (Am I soliciting more?), tucked in a back corner behind two week’s worth of crumpled up Shopping Flyers – It was almost unseen, tucked in so close to the Box wall, like a narrow missive not […]
Voice of the Village: The Six Percent Solution
By Diana Choquette Keeping our brains healthy as we age is a common concern these days. We are exhorted to eat certain foods, take various supplements, solve puzzles, get our exercise, learn new things, etc. Just as I was about to start writing this article, I read of a new study indicating our little gray […]
Les Overlock: Entering the world of Frida Kahlo in new Bedford Gallery exhibit
Art Review by Les Overlock Special to the Herald “The World of Frida” combines juried and invitational shows with a national photography exhibit at the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek. Art and photographs celebrating the life, style and legacy of the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo runs through Sept. 16. I attended the opening a […]
Bob Livesay: Not all endorsements are necessarily equal
By Bob Livesay Special to the Herald As we approach the Labor Day holiday, the City Council election scramble starts to move very fast. Signs will be out all over town and residents can expect in-home endorsement meetings, venue meetings, mailers, newspaper ads, social media overtaken by comments and more. For this article, I will […]
Write Away: School mournings
Ugh. That morning school rush. We always arrive at the school gates at the same time, somewhere around rushed-but-can-still-make-it-o’clock. This year, I also have to get our baby ready to go in the morning. It seems like we’d never make it with those added responsibilities, but we do—and we get there at the same Almost […]
A Different Drummer: Sucking lemons for nutrients
News gives me the blues. I don’t hide my head in the sand because of it. I’m still a concerned citizen. I just don’t like what I’m hearing and reading. Every news item, every trial, every confession, every outburst, every infraction gets chewed over for a thousand hours by a thousand pundits and broadcast over […]
Jeff Burkhart’s “Rhyme & Reason”: To the Wanderers (And their staff :^)
Nomadic tribes a ’wander Playing notes to make a living Getting paid by local folks Who value what they’re giving No thunderstorms or holidays Will keep them from their playing No one night stand can stop them And convince them that they’re staying So here’s to all the minstrels As they’re living out their fate […]
Voice of the Village; Technology: It’s going to change how we age
By Judie Donaldson I just returned from a vacation with my family at Lake Tahoe, which is about as beautiful and serene a setting as I have known. But, while I was there, I noticed something curious. I observed that my two daughters and two sons-in-law––all of whom are professionals with demanding jobs––were completely free […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Bottom of My Bottom
At the bottom of my economic bottom, in 1999, I went to the Want Ads and looked for work: “Plumber Trainee, No experience necessary. We train. Must have own tools and truck.” How hard could that be? I’d always done my own home plumbing and that of my parents since I was 15 so I […]