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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

DON'T MISS!

I've written hundreds and hundreds of posts over the years. To help you find your way to the best of the best, I've tagged my favorites "Don't Miss!" Scroll down here to find them.

Another way to locate Riffs on Life that you might enjoy is to click above on your favorite category – "My Ever-Changing Family," perhaps, or "Funny Button." You can also use the search box located way up top to hunt for stories by topic. There's fun reading at "garden," "aging," "kids" and, of course, "Jon."

Widowed: Marriage Mistakes — If I Could Have a Do-Over, Would I?

July 6, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

marriage mistakes widowed a-mans-sock-drawer

Widowed, I think often of my marriage mistakes. Did I leave too many tender words unsaid? Too many small kindnesses undone? Should I have mated his socks for him after I took them out of the dryer?   Read more.

Widowed: We Were Two People — And a Marriage

June 29, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

jon-barbara-newhall-wedding

Jon and I were two people — and the marriage we’d created over the years.  Read more.

‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ — Fun Words, Now Playing in Berkeley

June 22, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

the-lifespan-of-a-fact

Good natured but dead serious, “The Lifespan of a Fact,” raises questions that writers of nonfiction are constantly asking themselves.  Read more.

That Old Tub-Shower Has Got to Go

June 15, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

tile-choices-for-bath-renovation

That old tub-shower has got to go. A stall shower will be much safer. No quartz for me, though. I’m going for colorful tile and a 1950s vibe.  Read more.

Widowed: Are Tears Recyclable?

June 8, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

widowed are tears recyclable  budapest-market

A tear-drenched tissue — do I put it in the trash? Or into the recycle bin? I wondered, I’m widowed: are my tears recyclable?  Read more.

Writing Retreat Report — I Got Some Work Done. Thanks for Holding Me Accountable

June 1, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Oakland-Tribune-column-Barbara-Falconer-Newhall

On my retreat I discovered that those columns I wrote as a young mom back in the 20th century have a lot to say to the 21st century.  Read more.

Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, Jon and Me

May 25, 2024 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, Jon and me.

Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, Jon and me — contemplating the perils and pleasures of office romance in the era of #metoo.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

SXSW: The Funky Charms of East Austin, Texas

colorful mural decorates the front of a store in Austin TX selling books, T-shirts and CDs. And tattoos. Photo by BF Newhall

Deep in the heart of Texas is a neighborhood that has everything it takes to be a first-rate hipster haven — street art, food trucks, farmers markets, coffee shops, parks, affordable (so far) housing, artists’ studios, walkability — and, most important, a carefree, offbeat vibe. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
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Need some levity? Push my Funny Button!

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!

American-flag-detail

The Fourth of July — With Liberty and Justice for All

A stuffed moose or elk hangs on the wall of the Antler Bar, Pentwater, Michigan. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Inside Pentwater’s Antler Bar — A Beer Too Many

An exotic orange blossom from Bloomster's floral designer Kren P. Rasmussen. Photo by BF Newhall

I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Those Flowers — From the Mighty Rose to the Humble Daisy

In My Rain-Battered Garden — Nothing Is Forever, Not Even Those Poppies

MORE DON'T MISS!

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