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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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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."

A Dream About Wrestling With — Uh, Who Was That Anyway?

June 8, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall Leave a Comment

A dream about wrestling. Detail of a column in the Wurzburg Cathedral, shaped in a knot. Photo by Barbara Newhall

I had a dream about wrestling the other night. Was it a message from my deep psyche — or the heights of heaven? Read more.

A Case of the Human Condition: Would My Husband Like to Add My Name to His?

May 29, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 1 Comment

Jon whose middle name is still not Falconer after 35 years of not being Jon Falconer Newhall -- cooking dinner for my birthday in 2011. He's still comfortable in the kitchen and at the supermarket. Photo by Barbara Falconer Newhall

When Jon and I married, I wanted to share a name with him and our future children. I took his last name. Would he like to take mine as his middle name? Read more.

They Did It — They Got Married (And the Bride Was Beautiful)

May 18, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 10 Comments

The bride was beautiful. A crystal headpiece set off Christina Newhall's short dark hair on her wedding day in May. Photo by Barbara Newhall

The bride was beautiful. The setting was exquisite. The band kept everyone jumping. Everything a mother of the bride could hope for. Read more.

A Chance to Get Acquainted With That Muslim Next Door

May 4, 2017 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 5 Comments

Sumbul Ali-Karamali, author of "The Muslim Next Door"

Two days after September 11, a friend warned Sumbul Ali-Karamali, a Muslim American, that she should display an American flag outside her house. Ali-Karamali, is author of “The Muslim Next Door: The Qur’an, the Media, and that Veil Thing.” 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 9 Comments

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 5 Comments

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 5 Comments

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.

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ON THE FUNNY SIDE

A Case of the Human Condition: Would My Husband Like to Add My Name to His?

Jon whose middle name is still not Falconer after 35 years of not being Jon Falconer Newhall -- cooking dinner for my birthday in 2011. He's still comfortable in the kitchen and at the supermarket. Photo by Barbara Falconer Newhall

When Jon and I married, I wanted to share a name with him and our future children. I took his last name. Would he like to take mine as his middle name? Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
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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!

Image of Jesus Christ from the Hagia Sophia. Photo by Barbara Newhalljon-and-barbara-newhall-get-married

Would My Husband Like to Take My Name?

Did the Pandemic Shut-Down Change the Way We Live?

Outdoor portrait of Jennifer Fulwiler, author of "Something Other than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It"

Atheist to Catholic–Two Brainy Women Get Religion

mountains and lake inyo national forest. Photo by Barbara Falconer Newhall

At Tuolumne — Celebrating Getting Born

MORE DON'T MISS!

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