For the past 3 days, San Francisco has been baked by a record heat wave. What that means in real numbers around here is highs of 86° to 93°. As somebody who grew up in the Midwest, this isn’t too impressive. After all, there I endured months of temperatures at least that high, along with unbearable humidity—not to mention the winters. However, San Francisco is a different kind of place. The real secret to weather in San Francisco is not the temperature, but the wind. Tucked just inside the... Read→
Susan Boyle’s amazing debut on Britain’s Got Talent Once in a while someone comes along who challenges everything we believe about each other. In doing so, they challenge what we believe about ourselves. This performance by Susan Boyle, a never-married, middle-aged woman who sings at church and lives alone with her cat in Scotland, cuts through all our mental clutter. Everyone I know who has seen this—and it seems EVERYBODY has by now—has been deeply touched by her performance. Authenticity... Read→
It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me well that I absolutely love San Francisco. There are so many amazing things to see and do here. For the most part, visitors tend to stay close to tourist attractions on the east side of town. I prefer the west side of town, especially Golden Gate Park with its museums, lakes, running paths and buffalo. Yes, I really did just say there are buffalo in San Francisco! In 1989, the largest earthquake since the 1906 quake struck during rush hour. Fortunately,... Read→
I spent the past week visiting my parents in San Diego. My mother’s computer had a complete meltdown a few weeks ago. We decided to get her a Mac, since in my experience they have much fewer of these kinds of problems. So, of course, she needed her IT guy to come visit to get her data off her old computer and set up her new computer. Anyway, as these things tend to go, as prepared as I thought I was when I arrived, I discovered I needed different tools in order to get her data. The things I’ve... Read→
On September 11, 2001, I remember being acutely aware as events unfolded that the world had changed. History had been made and nothing would ever be the same again. On November 4, 2008, a new moment in history was marked as the United States elected its first African-American president. What a proud moment for our nation! And what a contrast of hope compared to the terrorist attacks which were the harbinger of fear. Today, we proudly inaugurate Barack Hussein Obama the 44th President of the United... Read→
