Category: Uncategorized

I’m happy to report that my plan to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park is proceeding apace. I have assembled an elite, highly trained and motivated commando team comprising six people besides myself, my wife Karen, Val, Penny, Barbara, Dinah and Nancy.  L-R Val, Penny, Barbara Dinah Nancy All of these lovely ladies above…

Back in the mid-late 1950’s I was very into ham radio and electronics. I obtained my Amateur Extra Class ham license in 1961. I still have all my log books and QSL cards from the contacts I made from all 50 states and all over the world in 6 continents. I mastered international morse code…

Since I retired in 2009 I’ve tried to remain active as a volunteer for various organizations, among which is our local VITA/TCE income tax assistance program in Thousand Oaks. When COVID-19 hit so badly during 2020, our program had to shut down and disband mid-season. The following year our program pioneered, with IRS’ blessing, doing…

One of the biggest problems with Zen and why it could never serve as a worldwide religion is it leaves undefined the word ‘right,’ meaning correct. The Noble Eightfold Path directs us to employ ‘rightness’ or ‘correctness’ in all the things we do and think on an everyday basis, yet leaves these terms open to…

New writing prompt: You are 80 years old. Life has been good up until now. You have just been diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. How do you feel? What do you do? You have 90 minutes. Good luck! Ok, first of all. Fuck you! You’ve obviously been reading my UCLA Health chart!…

Writing prompt: How can the principles of Zen Buddhism be constructively applied to aging? You may use yourself as an example.  You have 90 minutes. Good luck! I’m like “Holy ****. Are you serious?” OK, pretend I’m back in college.. I get it. Meanwhile here goes: We know that Zen is founded on the Four…

Today I finally made the momentous decision to get rid of my collection of college textbooks and post college engineering and technical books, which I had carefully maintained for about the past 50 years. This came about after I had recently been involved in helping our good friend, a CVV member, sort and box up…