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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
  • WRITING & READING
  • MY ROCKY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
  • WIDOWED
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Barbara’s Riffs on Life

A Case of the Human Condition: When a Young Mother Dies

May 18, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

a young mother dies. Beverly Bondy Rose on a trip to Children's Fairyland, Oakland, 1988.

In the months and years before she died of breast cancer, Beverly Bondy Rose created a safe and loving place for her little daugther and the people around her. Read more.

A Case of the Human Condition: The Day She Popped the Question

May 15, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Things were getting serious. My boyfriend had moved his goldfish into my apartment. I had returned from a long weekend to find that Jon had moved his dimestore pets from his place to mine. He was sheepish about this.

Brutality Begets Brutality, That’s Why Torture is Not OK — An American POW’s Story

May 12, 2009 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

[caption id="attachment_1047" align="alignleft" width="303"]Halle, Germany, today with its castle and the Salle River c 2009 Stadt Halle, Salle Halle, Germany, today with its castle and the Salle River c 2009 Stadt Halle, Salle[/caption]

I’d like the forty-nine percent of Americans who say torture is sometimes justified to hear the story of an American POW who survived a brutal forced march during World War II. My conclusion: Brutality begets brutality. Read more.

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.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

We Are Pushing 80 — Do We Stay Out of Supermarkets? Sheltering at Home Day 5

farmers-maret

At age 79, should my husband stay out of supermarkets during the COVID-19 pandemic? He’s used to making daily trips for groceries. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
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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!

 

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man-hanging-a-quilt

How to Hang a Quilt — We Did It Our Way. Sheltering at Home Week 36

froot-loops-at-my-grocery-store

Sixteen Years Left to Live. How Many Bowls of Froot Loops Is That?

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Widowed: It’s Jon the Old Guy I Miss the Most

A WordPress blog post edit page. Photo by BF Newhall

Writing Tips — Begged, Borrowed, but Mostly Stolen From My Favorite Writing Coaches

MORE DON'T MISS!

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