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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

I Miss My Friends. But I Miss My Acquaintances More — Sheltering at Home Week 5

April 17, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I miss my acquaintances. A Zoom exercise class gave me the chance to say hello to some of them.

I miss my acquaintances. I miss the shopkeepers, the women in my Zumba class, the friends of friends, all the people who know me, but don’t know my name. Read more.

Death, Taxes, the Constitution. The IRS Has Granted a Reprieve. Will the Grim Reaper? Sheltering in Place Week 5

April 15, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

death, taxes, the constitution -- a tax form

Death, taxes, the constitution. One has been postponed to July. Death is closer than ever. But what about the permanence of Ben Franklin’s constitution?  Read more.

Now’s Your Chance to Let Your Roots Grow Out. I Did It. Here’s Why — Sheltering at Home Week 4

April 10, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

let your roots grow out. woman-with-white-air-barbara-falconer-newhall

Let your roots grow out? Not an easy decision. But I was home sick with mono, too sick to go to the hairdresser. Now I love my glamorous new look. Read more.

The Coronavirus Cruise Ship Has Disappeared From Our View. Why Does That Make Me Sad? — Sheltering in Place Week 4

April 8, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

coronavirus cruise ship -- a grand-princess-promo-shot

The Grand Princess was white and stately, a pretty sight, yes. But there was something else about the coronavirus cruise ship that kept us checking on it every day. Read more.

Why I Write About the Small Stuff — Like the Kettle Corn That Showed Up in Our Food Order. Sheltering in Place Week 4

April 5, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

kettle-corn

A bag of kettle corn? How did that get into our on-line food order? Provisioning mishaps have provided comic relief to the coronavirus anxiety at our house. Read more.

Twenty Seconds: What’s Good for the Hands Is Good for the Potatoes. Right? Sheltering at Home Week 3

April 3, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

washing-potatoes-for-twenty-seconds

COVID-19 is out there. It could get me, which is why I’m doing a lot of weird stuff lately. Like soaping down the potatoes. For twenty seconds, of course. Read more.

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ON THE FUNNY SIDE

My Pretty New Clothes — Shall I Just Wear Them Around the House? Sheltering at Home Week 10

pretty-new-clothes

My pretty new clothes. I bought them last fall. They’re just hanging in my closet. Shall I take them out and wear them to scrub pots and deadhead azaleas? Read more.

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

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