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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
  • FUNNY BUTTON

A Case of the Human Condition

I’m Barbara Falconer Newhall and I’ve got an incurable Case of the Human Condition. And since you do too, I’m counting on you to laugh and cry along with me as I riff on life as we know it . . . Below you'll read about my creaky, old fifties house, my forays into home gardening, my shopping stories, my spectacularly low-fashion wardrobe -- and more.

Surprise! Here’s What I Wore to My Daughter’s Wedding

May 25, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

My daughter's wedding: The pretty good legs of a 75-year-old woman. Photo by Barbara Newhall

For my daughter’s wedding, I took a chance and had the tailor cut the elegant Adrianna Papell ball gown off at the knees. Here’s the result. Read more.

Mother-of-the-Bride Dress: What, Oh, What Do I Wear to My Daughter’s Wedding?

April 27, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

smoke blue mother-of-the-bride dress. Photo by Barbara Newhall
Figure flaws? I’m going to wear them proudly — with the help of just the right mother-of-the-bride dress. Here are my final four choices. Read more.

Six Ways to Look Dreadful at Your Daughter’s Wedding — A Mother-of-the-Bride Moment

April 20, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

A mother of the bride tries on dresses to cover her figure flaws -- flabby arms, wobbly neck and falling bustline. Photo by Barbara Newhall

The mother of the bride faces up to the figure flaws she’ll be taking to her daughter’s wedding: wobbly neck, flabby arms, descending bustline . . . and more. Read more.

Gray Hairs. Wrinkles. And Kids Who Won’t Stop Growing Up

April 13, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Christina, Jon and Peter. Their mother had gray hairs, bu the kids were still small enough to cuddle. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Peter’s in fourth grade now. My third grade boy is gone. Christina has grown an inch since Easter. My size 6 girl is gone.  Read more.

Bouquets to Art 2017 — Seduced by Those Quirky, Charming Boxed Bouquets

March 30, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Bouquets to Art 2917. San Francisco. Samanth Williams with Clara McInerney, Dimitri Tretiakoff created a window niche design commenting on the Golden Gate Park landscape outdoors. Photo by Barbara Newhall

I spent a glorious day at the Bouquets to Art 2017 exhibition in San Francisco, where several stunning boxed floral arrangements stole the show.  Read more.

Subway Tiles? Not in My Kitchen

March 9, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Subway tiles in Budapest's Oktogon metro station with grimy grout. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Subway tiles. You see them everywhere — in people’s houses and all over HGTV. But there’s one place you’ll never see them — my kitchen. Read more.

Regulations: Will Trump’s Slash and Trash Deregulation Put Americans at Risk?

January 30, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Our future after regulation 'reform'? More scenes like the Oakland Ghost Ship fire that killed 36 mostly young people, artists, musicians, LGBTQ folks. A few days after the fire, it was cordoned off as a "crime scene." Photo by Barbara Newhall

Do we really want to dispense with government regulations that prevent disasters — like the Ghost Ship warehouse fire that killed 36? Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

At Orinda Books: The Author Talked — And So Did the Audience

Author Barbara Falconer Newhall and interviewee Sister Barbara Hazzard gave a book talk at Orinda Books in Orinda, California, May 16, 2015. Photo by Jon Newhall

It was an afternoon of lively interaction between author, audience, and Sister Barbara Hazzard, who read from the story she tells in “Wrestling with God.” Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
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  • My Rocky Spiritual Journey

 
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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!

Loreen Niewenhuis trekking across sand beach. Niewenhuis photo.

Walk 1000 Miles Around Lake Michigan? She Did It — Now I Don’t Have To

the words Oakland Riviera in bright colors are painted on a wall in Oakland, CA, Jingletown. Photo by BF Newhall

Amazing Places: A Walk Around Oakland’s Jingletown

The cover of Barbara Falconer Newhall's 2015 interfaith religion book "Wrestling with God: Stories of Doubt and Faith" shows two red chairs opposing one another. Design by Michelle Lenger.

It’s Launch Day for “Wrestling with God” and I’m Hoping You’ll Buy a Copy . . . or Two or Three

17-foot pilot whale Koko swimns close to reporter barbara falconer newhall at Marine World-Africa USA in 1979. San Francisco Chronicle photo by John O'Hara

I Can’t Believe I Got in the Water With That 1400-Pound Whale

MORE DON'T MISS!

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