Holidays
Zombie Ball 2016: Morris Day & The Time
Once again, I enticed a friend to go to the Zombie Ball with me. I didn’t realize until we got there, she’d never heard of the headliner although she vaguely remembered the antagonist from the movie “Purple Rain.” As an added bonus, I saw another friend walking by himself in the crowd, grabbed him, so he … Continue reading
Engaged
Have you noticed the spring in my step, the blush on my cheeks, the joy in my eyes? Why yes, I’m happier than I’ve ever been because I’ve recently got engaged. Fully engaged in my life, that is. Previously, I was just busy. I’ve always been a super organized person, making lists, grouping errands and … Continue reading
NYE 2015
This marked the first New Year’s Eve where I attended a birthday party at the start of my celebration. I’d lived in Austin for 6 years, passing the chain seafood restaurant as I fetched myself to and from yoga, never once stopping in until NYE 2015. I enjoyed the small group of poets gathered as … Continue reading
Christmas 2015
One of my Christmas gifts to myself was a pair of polarized, no-line bifocals. After looking at all the female frames, I wandered over to the male section and found an attractive, cheaper frame, which didn’t have a bunch of fake jewels or girlie bling along the temples. I’d previously worried if I’d walked away … Continue reading
Halloween Celebration 2015
Unofficially, my Halloween celebration started on a Wednesday, a few days before my favorite holiday of the year. A local library invited the Austin Writers Roulette to perform in their monthly reading. Since I usually dress up to match the roulette theme, I had a myriad of costume choices since this occasion had no theme. … Continue reading
Beestung
Around the turn of the 21st century, a bee stung me. My entire right hand swelled. Mom recommended I make a paste out of meat tenderizer and put it on my affected hand, but a few sun salutations had a more dramatic effect. The extra fluid pulsed and coursed through my lymphatic vessels during that yoga … Continue reading
Maya’s Visit
Every time one of my nieces and nephews turns 16, he or she spends a week with me; so, Maya’s turn was up this summer. I asked her parents to fly her out around the Fourth of July since I’d automatically have Friday off. Maya arrived midday on a Tuesday and left way too early in the morning … Continue reading
One of Dad’s Life Lessons
I normally reflect about the many reasons I love, honor and respect my dad on Father’s Day. Yet today, amid all the recent controversy surrounding race relations, I feel compelled to incorporate one of Dad’s life lessons into this year’s Father’s Day tribute. After many weeks of thunderstorms, usually on a Friday afternoon, the only time in my busy schedule … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day Vasectomy
Men, are you facing yet another Valentine’s Day bad date? Can’t bear another year of giving the cliché gifts of assorted chocolates, a bouquet of flowers and reservations at some crowded expensive restaurant? This year, do you want to do something unconventional and guaranteed to get your woman interested in having lots of sex months … Continue reading
MLK Weekend Celebration 2015
I find celebrating MLK Day to be just another day in my life. Since graduating from college in 1992, I’ve dedicated my life to teaching math and science to mostly nonwhite populations, starting with my Peace Corps assignment in Tanzania. Additionally, I read books about African American history, current events and participate in African diaspora culture throughout … Continue reading