Magnetic Steel Velcro
This story is part of a series. Readers are welcome to start at the beginning or to jump in here: Sparked by Brooke’s offer for me to take care of Sweetie Boy after her death, let's start with a word on cats. A few words. A few
Encounter with an Ancestor: Watercourse Way
Watercourse Way This story is part of a series. Readers are welcome to start at the beginning, to return to the most recent story in this series, or to jump in here: October, 2021 Because of the complexity of her case plus the nearness of her death, it made more
Encounter with an Ancestor: Why Bother
This article is part of a series. Readers are welcome to start with the first essay, Introducing Brooke, or to jump in here: October, 2021 Brooke stopped by my house on her way home from a medical appointment, and I was happy to give her a quick tour before we
Encounter with an Ancestor: Janet Schaefer
This is the third story in a series. The first introduces Janet's friend Brooke, and the second documents an evening of conversation between Janet and Brooke and others. Readers are welcome to start where they please, including here: Janet loved to tell the story of returning from a
Skip month: taking a breath
We recently started a series of stories about the life and death of my dear friend Brooke Neal, and last month I shared a visit between Brooke and her dear friend Janet Schaefer, from late 2021. Shortly after that post, Janet’s husband Eric texted me that Janet was dying,
Encounter with an Ancestor: Funeral Songs
Janet Schaefer is one of the first friends I made after moving to Greensboro in 2020. Introduced by a mutual connection, she and her husband Eric opened up their home and lives to me. When I told Janet what neighborhood I’d moved into, she introduced me to Brooke via
Encounter with an Ancestor: Introducing Brooke
Recently this back-and-forth came to me, the two lines of which read like a poem: How do we care for a dying generation? One person at a time, kind of. The generation is the Baby Boomers, the eldest of whom have reached their life expectancy. Herds of elephants
Encounter with an Ancestor: Orville Rogers
According to Granddad’s memoir, his own Granddad “cast a dark cloud over those around him,” and his home was accordingly cold. Granddad’s Dad had walked out when Granddad was barely old enough to remember, and he was raised by his mother and her parents in Oklahoma. He was
Skip Month: Sleeping and Dreaming
When I committed to sending a story on nine of each year’s full moons, rather than all twelve (some years 13), my body relaxed. This allows me to rest during winter! Alongside resting, I’ve been churning out the current season of Oregano Shirt Podcast, “Bro Connections,” with each
Encounter with an Ancestor: Mickey Muennig
While mushroom hunting with friends in the Berkeley Hills, I got a call from my neighbor Misha. Her father, whom I had met briefly at his epic homestead on the California Coast, needed to sell a house he owned in Mexico, and the related taxes were significant enough that attempting
Present Time: Giving Notice
For the last six months, I’ve worked for a Skilled Nursing Facility, managing medications and miscellaneous other tasks for sixteen residents at a time. It’s not unusual for a single resident to demand constant attention. I can think of six residents who would appreciate all-day accompaniment, some
Encounter with an Ancestor: John Perry Barlow
I met John Perry Barlow in 2015 when he moved into the backyard bungalow behind the house where I lived in Palo Alto. My landlord Rob, a die-hard deadhead, had offered the Grateful Dead lyricist a 1992-era rent rate, and John Perry was glad to accept. At the