My mother received a letter from an out-of-state County Coroner’s office asking if she could provide any information for relatives or decedents of some man. The first name was familiar, but the last name was not. Not sure what to do, my mother spoke to me and my sister before replying to the letter. It…
Author: Steve Ainslie
TV Influence
On many interviews I’ve heard lately, I’ve noticed that people often frame discussions in terms of TV shows. This happens during conversations with comedians, academics, scientists and people of all levels of intelligence, education and background. Some of the shows referenced lately include: Sex and the City The Cosby Show Friends The Office Law and…
Hanging Out In Cemeteries
I have always liked cemeteries. My earliest cemetery memories were from being a little kid attending the burial of my Uncle Bob and then my Grandma. Those were not good memories. I remember it being hot. I remember the priest droning on and on. I remember old people weeping. I wondered why they didn’t have…
Podcast Overload
I enjoy listening to podcasts. I listen when I’m driving, when I’m cooking, in the evenings,when I’m mowing the lawn, when I’m vacuuming and when I’m walking in the evening. I listen to history, comedy, advice shows, alternative news (libertarian), commentary and others based on whatever I happen to be interested or find entertaining at…
Watercolors
Learning to paint using watercolors was on my list for the year. I had some initial exposure during my second drawing course this spring – but I found it didn’t help me much. I want to create beautiful images. Landscapes, European streetscapes, Mediterranean villages and the like. The course I took covered a few basics…
No More Drama
My childhood was full of chaos. Divorce, moving, a crazy stepfather, switching schools multiple times, 20+ kids moving in and out of our home, poverty, living in the ghetto, and more. When I moved in with my wife, the chaos subsided a lot. She and I worked hard to give our family a sense of…
One In One Out
One of the best things I did with my wardrobe was to downsize to 2 dozen pairs of identical black ankle socks. They are all I’ve worn for the past 3 years. Whenever I do laundry, matching them is easy – they all match! I think my socks are reaching their end of life –…
Compromising Situation
My friend, who has never been married, is looking for a wife. Last year, when he asked for my advice on how to have a long married, I said needed to be willing to make compromises. Since he’s been a lifelong bachelor, he’s always done whatever he wanted. He worked when and where he wanted….
Caretaker
After my wife died, I was struck by something a friend said, “Of course you feel rudderless. You’re a caretaker with nobody to care for”. I never really thought about myself as a caretaker. I always did my best to take take care of my wife and make her life easy. But that was because…
Family Ties
My cousin left home after he graduated from high school more than 25 years ago and hasn’t contacted his mother since. Of the 20+ kids who lived with us over the years that my mother and stepfather were together, not a single one ever contacted my mother after they moved out. I spoke to my…