Ken's Ten Thousand ThingsFamily & Personal
Almost a Past Life
Almost didn’t go to my 30-year high school reunion. The idea felt weird in an age of already keeping in touch with Facebook or people you already see regularly, and many of whom you really didn’t know well enough to keep in touch with in the first place, and have become essentially different people. But it […]
To Have a Pet, or Not Have a Pet
I love animals. Part of me wants to take most of the ones I see home, cuddle with them, love them. But the reality is different. First, I never liked caged pets. Logically I understand that most of them don’t mind and feel safe in a limited space, being well cared for otherwise. But eventually they die and […]
Finally Snowing
It’s dark and the recycle truck is finally picking up. And it’s finally snowing — really snowing to where it doesn’t melt when it touches the ground. It’s felt like Mother nature hit the pause button for too long. It just didn’t feel right and I’ve been out of sorts. It’s been often warmer here […]
The Odd Stillness of Indian Summer; Reflections of Bellwood
It’s not every day in November that you hit 80 degrees and hover near there for a while. Or my wife is right to be surprised that I am surprised by something that to her seems typical. It just seems the world’s out of place, out of time. Perhaps that is why I had a […]
Will the Force Awaken?
It’s hard to describe in a way most people will truly appreciate, but in a way, two things sacred to me as a child were Star Wars and Disney. They were part of how I imagined the world could and should be. But I’m all grown up. I still believe in Santa Claus, in Chivalry, […]
What a Week, What a Summer
Being finally cool outside again, I just went for a walk around the block, by myself. It would have been the perfect day to take Pasha for a walk, but she died last Wednesday morning, in her sleep and the usual “animal cracker” pose. We got used to checking her breathing when we found her […]
Handwriting: Looking Back at 2014
I was scanning the checks part of my statements from my business account, when I saw ones in my wife’s handwriting. I thought I had the wrong account — until I realized that was a year ago. In January, the checks looked normal. In February, Merry wrote my checks for me because of my hand […]
Vegas-Arizona Trip 2015
Finally managed to visit my Dad again in Sun City. Christina wanted to visit her childhood friend Lizzy and her new baby, so we took a plane to Vegas first. On the plane, I had a philosophical discussion with poker professional Phil Ivey’s uncle Xeno, and Christina lost a notebook of writing, sadly. Daughter’s adventures while […]
“Relentless Arctic Attack”
That’s what the news was calling the nation-wide pre-winter storms, and the news has been on almost constantly for the last four days. I can only laugh. The images and time-lapse of the front moving in were amazing, the amount of snow record-breaking (nationally, with 74 inches falling in 24 hours) and then a second […]
Christmas in July?
Last Sunday, I had a party, “Ken’s Summer Backyard Get-Together Luau Party Bash Shindig”. The description: “Kinda like Christmas in July, but the presents are food and good company. A holiday for framily, facebook friends, business associates, tai chi students, and wandering vagabonds. May involve extreme s’mores after sundown. Alcohol optional, kid-friendly, and games possibly.” […]