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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."

When Someone Dies, Send Flowers

May 22, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

tulips-condolences send flowers

My husband is dead. Forget “in lieu of.” I want the flowers.  Read more.

Not Enough Rain. Not Enough Stories About My Husband

May 8, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

not enough stories about my husband. not enough rain. California-Grapevine-2014-drought

I wish I’d written more stories about my husband. But he was a good guy, and our marriage didn’t generate a lot of bloggable drama.   Read more.

Would My Husband Like to Take My Name?

May 1, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

add my name to his? jon-and-barbara-newhall-get-married

My fiance had no middle name. When we married, I asked, would he like to take my name to fill the empty spot in the middle of his? Read more.

A Hopeful Realist Is Keeping Me Company These Days

April 24, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

hopeful realist contemplates the pinwheel-galaxy-NASA

I like to think of Geoff Machin as a hard-headed realist. A hard-headed — hopeful — realist is just the right company for me these days. Read more.

My Husband Is Gone. But the Tree Trimmers Showed Up as Promised.

April 17, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

tree-trimmer-in-tree

My husband is gone. Does that mean I have to cancel the household projects we planned and dreamed of doing? Read more.

My Husband Died, and Denial and Distraction Are My Go-To States for Now

April 10, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

my-husband-died-so-I-hiked -at-chimney-rock

My husband of 44 years died seven weeks ago. So far, I’ve used denial and distraction to keep my mind off the silence.  Read more.

Widowed: Lucky Me, I Told Jon Newhall I Loved Him

March 13, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Jon Newhall makes dinner at the Newhall house. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Lucky me. I told my husband I loved him while he was still alive. Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Gary Kamiya — A Fun Guy Sings a Love Song to San Francisco

Bearded author, editor and cofounder of Salon.com Gary Kamiya reads from his new book at Book Passage. Photo by BF Newhall

Due to a common writing misstep, Gary Kamiya, a highly experienced writer and editor, found himself with only six months to write a 385-page book. The San Francisco author and co-founder of Salon.com described his predicament recently to a gathering of writers at Book Passage, Marin county’s powerhouse independent bookstore. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • A Case of the Human Condition
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  • My Rocky Spiritual Journey

 
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!

arranging-furniture-with-a-view

Our Living Room Makeover: We Made Do With Our Old Stuff. Sheltering at Home Week 49

steph-curry

Jon Was a Sports Fan. Am I?

"Seattle Cloud Cover," by Teresita Fernandez, 2006, a pedestrian bridge with photographic material between layers of glass. Photo by Barbara Newhall

The Olympic Sculpture Park — An Artful Stroll on Seattle’s Waterfront

Dooney-&-Bourke-handbag

Beware. The Decluttering Craze Could Leave You Holding the Designer Handbag.

MORE DON'T MISS!

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