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Barbara Falconer Newhall

Veteran journalist Barbara Falconer Newhall riffs on life as she knows it.

  • A CASE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
  • MY EVER-CHANGING FAMILY
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Barbara’s Riffs on Life

The Writing Room: Writer’s Block and the Toxic Reader

May 11, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

writer's block is addressed insightfully in Jane Anne Staw's book Unstuck

Writer’s block? Not my problem. At least, that’s what I thought until I read Jane Anne Staw’s book, “Unstuck.” Read more.

The Writing Room: Writing About Your Mother? — Words of Caution from Lori Gottlieb

May 10, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Planning to write about your mother? You might reconsider after reading Lori Gottlieb’s essay in today’s New York Times. Or are you a mother writing about your kids . . .

Death Is the Only Guarantee

May 8, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Olompali State Historic Park, CA, trees dying against a blue sky. Photo by Barbara Newhall.

Our bodies should be more like our cars. When a car fails, we can trade it in for a new one, but not our bodies. Some of my friends’ bodies are failing them at a very young age. Read more.

GodsBigBlog: Kids and Money — Saving It, Spending It, Sharing It

May 6, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

[caption id="attachment_1186" align="alignleft" width="141"] Three Cups, by Mark St. Germain, is illustrated by April Willy.[/caption]

Looking for a way to teach generosity and life-long charitable giving to the children in your family? Author Mark St.Germain and artist April Willy have a suggestion: Give them each three cups. Read more.

GodsBigBlog: Dancer Savitri Hari — God in the Lowly Things

May 4, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Savitri Hari finds the sacred in the lowly things. Savitri grew up in a Hindu family in a village in South India. “We children used to gather cow dung for a special holiday. We rolled the cow dung into a ball and drew mandala designs on it with rice flour.”

The Writing Room: To Niche or Not to Niche?

May 1, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Where’s my niche – spiritually, philosophically, politically? As a writer? For a writer, nichelessness can be a problem. I’m a hopelessly open-minded, doubting, wondering, yearning skeptic who senses the Holy at work in all sorts of people — Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, atheists.

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ON THE FUNNY SIDE

The Mother-of-the-Groom Diaries: Snapping Pictures at My Son’s Wedding

Handsome groom in tux, vest and tie with pink boutonniere before his wedding. Photo by BF Newhall

 

My trusty point and shoot goes with me everywhere these days. But for my son’s wedding I resolved to Be In The Moment and resist the temptation to digitize every last detail of my son’s big day. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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TO MY READERS

Please feel free to share links to my posts with one and all and to quote briefly from them in your own writing, remembering, of course, to attribute the quote to me and to provide a link back to this site.

My Oakland Tribune columns, btw, are reprinted by permission of the Trib. With the exception of review copies of books, I do not accept ads or freebies of any kind. Click on the "Contact" button if you have questions. Enjoy!

 

DON’T MISS!

A six-year-old boy dressed as a cowboy for halloween. Photo by Barbara Newhall

A Case of the Human Condition: When Your Six-Year-Old Wants to Talk Money

Huston Smith at Sagrada bookstore, oakland, ca. 2009. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Huston Smith Dies at 97: A Mentor to Me . . . and Millions

Garden Artisan Jillian Steinberger prunes the camellias in Barbara Falconer Newhall's yard. Photo by Barbara Newhall

In the Garden With the Grammar Geek: Is It Ever OK to Use the Passive Voice?

robert morse in season finale of mad men tv show dances and sings the best things in life are free with four pretty secretaries.

Actor Robert Morse – Sweaty at 36, Sublime at 83

MORE DON'T MISS!

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