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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

The Writing Room

I’m a writer who loves to talk about writing, so if you’re a writer or an aspiring writer I hope you'll stop by now and then and keep me company . . . You’ll find writing tips here as well as my thoughts on the writing life. Watch out, though. The Grammar Geek will be putting in her two cents from time to time.

All I Want for Christmas Is . . . Readers for ‘Wrestling with God’

December 13, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

all i want for christmas is readers for m book poinsetia-with-gift-book

All I want for Christmas is readers for my book, “Wrestling with God: Stories of Doubt and Faith.” You can help make it happen.  Read more.

A Bathroom and a Book — I Finished Both This Week

October 10, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

A Bathroom and a Book -- I Finished Both This Week

Big news. Two huge projects finished the same week. A bathroom remodel and a book manuscript. Whew!  Read more.

The Human Need to Name Things — While Standing in a Patch of Weeds

February 8, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

The Human Need to Name Things

We can’t help ourselves. We like to name things. We have a human need to name things, including the colors of the weeds in a weed patch.  Read more.

Kids Who Cheat. And Those Who Don’t

May 18, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Peter Newhall makes the catch during Piedmont, CA, rec department baseball game. Photo 1991 by BF Newhall

Kids who cheat and those who don’t: My husband was disturbed by what he saw — some kids playing touch football at the park, cheating.  Read more.

I’m Calling In Sick Today and Putting My Feet Up

October 7, 2023 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

I'm-calling-in-sick-today and feet-up

My weekly writing deadline is only hours off and I’m feeling blah after a Covid booster. So I’m putting my feet up and calling in sick today.  Read more.

Grievance and Outrage — Good in Small Doses

February 12, 2022 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

mouth-of- grievance and outrage

Grievance and outrage have soured American discourse, public and private, for the past five years. And, yes, I find that outrageous. Read more.

Widowed and the We-Ness of Marriage

November 13, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Father-with-two-grown-kids

I’ve been widowed nearly nine months now, and I still can’t let go of the we — the we-ness of marriage. Here’s why.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

‘Tis the Season to Declutter. Or Is It?

1960s-peace-flag

‘Tis the season to declutter — to ditch the 1960s peace flag and make room for the garlic roaster and the pickleball paddles. Or is it?  Read More.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • 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!

family-photo-christmas-card

A Widow’s Christmas Card — Where’s Jon When I Need Him Most?

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Yay! Our Garden Remodel Is Done. Come Take a Walk

preschooler-with-duckie

Grief — Love With No Place to Go

Jon Newhall takes a class in Thai cooking in Bangkok and shows off his dish. Photo by Jon Newhall

Confessions of a So-So Wife: The Night I Forgot to Make Dinner

MORE DON'T MISS!

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