The first time I physically encountered Candy Jenkins was the year my mom died. I had seen her here and there around Shingletown and in passing, as I hung out with her niece, Stacey. But shy as I was, it was never more than just a casual glance, or a mumbled hello.Then came that day in October 1983, when I

I don't want to be a capricious critic on this topic, but I'm going to start this missive out by saying: Today's gas strike will not work.While I am wholly supportive of Americans coming together at a grassroots level to do something about fuel costs skyrocketing toward five dollars per gallon, simply not pu

Or, as a nameless friend just said, "The Bitch who Gagged V-Day"The Thing About Valentine’s Day…I’ve received a lot of feedback about my announcement that I “canceled” Valentines Day. In a nutshell, here are the thoughts and events that led to that decision.Hallma

I really had no idea what the last post on this blog was going to do to my in-box. I received over three-hundred emails from people who were moved by what I’d written. Survivors, those struggling through hurt. I laughed, I cried. I was humbled beyond belief. Despite the enormity of the prospect, I felt compelled to respon

I read and mulled and watched and agonized a couple months ago as many great voices, large and small, shared their inspiring and moving testimonies of “It Gets Better,” as a way of raising awareness and providing encouragement for those who have been, or are being, bullied.I knew I had things to share and sa

No more incandescent light bulbs? What? As if that’s not bad enough, I heard this from Doug La Malfa’s Facebook page. This cave I’ve been living in really is insulated from the outside world.For those three or four of you who might be as sheltered and clueless as I apparently am, here’s the deal:

So, for the past several years, I’ve ranted about the commercialization of Christmas, and pleaded with friends and loved ones to put some magic back into this time of year. No amount of love from those I adore warrants a year’s worth of consumer debt, worry, stress, or consternation.Instead of buying me a sw

Let me tell you where this year has gone… Divorce.Salt Lake City.The wintery star-filled skies of Wyoming.Denver.Albuquerque.Winslow.New Tattoo.Matching piercings with Katy.Rode the last Sunset Dinner train.Golden Gate Bridge.Dr

Forgiveness has never been that difficult of a thing for me when it comes to my end of the gig. I have long understood the power and force behind owning one’s mistakes and doing what one can to make things whole for those I have hurt or offended. I have forgiven others for transgressions from large to sm

MEN: Be warned, this blog post contains content that may not be suitable for you. Feel free to return to your Giants victory celebration. It may be safer for your tender souls.Ladies, I know you’ll get what I’m saying here.Yesterday, I shopped. Til I dropped. Y’all know by now I’m not m

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday. I’ll admit it. I do try to stay out of there—shop local, all that. However, one of the things I’ve learned this year is that Wal-Mart’s pharmacy is darn hard to beat on prescription drugs—especially some of the ridiculously expensive ones I’ve been burning through lately.

I had to go to the doctor this morning. Not a big deal. For those of you who know me well, you’ll understand that running a fever was a far lesser concern than getting halfway to my destination and realizing that I didn’t have my Droid. The doctor hooked me up with a prescription for some antibiotics, and a plethora of

Everyone in my house is still laughing about this… So, for whatever reason—meds, stress, pain—last night was not an entirely good night in the sleep realm. I slept some, but not that pure, recuperative kind. I got up this morning to try and start the day, and just couldn’t. Back to bed I went.

This has been a stressful week. Stress, thankfully, has become something of a stranger that I have not allowed to darken my doorstep in many, many months. The last time I consciously felt stressed out was February 10th of this year. That was the day that I left Redding for Denver, via California’s central valle

Dear Lord, thank you for all the patience you bestowed upon me today. These are the things I did not say, when I had the chance:To the lady at Trader Joe’s who looked at me, then in my cart, and spying a chocolate bar, said: “Dear, do you really think you should be eating that in your condition?”

When I was 20, I was married and living out on a logging job near Paynes Creek. One day, I had driven the 15 or so miles down a series of logging spurs to the store and post office. As I was loading up groceries into the back of my pick-up, a man came over and offered to help me load. I watched him as we hiked grocery sacks

Just some random, funny, cool things from this week…Pandora. Love it. My Steve Miller radio channel is coming along nicely.For a few brief moments this week, I felt like I was sixteen again. I was sharing some information with a gentleman in a work setting, and he moved in for a closer look a

Living has crippled me. Whether it’s been circumstances along the path of life, my own mistakes, random misfortune, fear, ignorance, or physical malady, a good many things have gotten in my way of living life, let alone an abundant one.It wasn’t until this week, when I honestly started giving frank, analytic

My Thoughts On Skydiving:Better than sex.  Way better.The next guy who entertains the notion of some 'sweet time' with me is likely to hear:"Hmmm... with you?  Well, here's the thing:  You're gonna have to show me that you have an AMAZING package, and that you're BRILLIANT

Challenges in life come in a variety of shapes and sizes. We’ve all known them, battled them, been laid flat by them, and triumphed over them. Adversity is the tool that refines and defines our character. It builds for us the perseverance, the tolerance, and empathy to enlarge our tents and continue being a greater vessel

I have been grieved, saddened, and even embarrassed lately by things I’ve seen and heard from fellow Americans.  For instance, telling Muslims not to build a mosque near Ground Zero. Aligning all of the Muslim faith with terrorism, is like branding all Christians as bad because of an abortion bombin

I should be reading through the Gemmill Thin Project Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement right now. At least some of the reasons why I can’t quite get excited about diving into that should be fairly obvious. The piper will be paid in full tonight, I suppose.Less apparent motives include a m

I am not a shopper. I don’t like to shop. For whatever reason, I just never inherited that gene that seems to be somewhat inherent in the female half of our species. And when I say I don’t like to shop, I mean, AT ALL. Not clothes, cars, furniture, food… nothing. Today, resigned by the need of a few h

This past week has been by far the most challenging in my path to wellness so far. The physical challenges have mounted.A seemingly incurable headache that is at 69 days and counting.Nausea. Vomiting. Dry Heaves.Diarrhea.Hair Loss.Dizziness.Difficulty concentrating.Nightmares.

Susanne Baremore wants to (blank) with (blank) at (blank). Legitimate offers only, please. :-PLast week, just for giggles (cuz my sense of humor is ESSENTIAL to getting through life these days…), I posted this on my Facebook page. The typical sophomoric discussion ensued, which was, in and of itself a

I am still grappling with the day’s events. I anticipate that I will, over time, write several blogs about this day, from various perspectives. No matter the angle from which I choose to view today’s events, I am unable to find a perspective that fully encapsulates the enormity of it all. So, let’s start f