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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."

Sheltering at Home Day 2: Oh, No! Our Porta-Potty Is Gone

March 19, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

porta-potty-taken-awayTerrible news. They’ve hauled away our porta-potty. Which means that work has ground to a halt on our half-finished house remodel. Read more.

Day One: Self-Isolation — For Us It’s Already Been Two Weeks of Sheltering at Home

March 18, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

zumba dancers -- before the corona virus pandemic

Jon and I have been sheltering at home — no Zumba classes for me — for two weeks now. And I have to tell you, it’s no fun. Read more.

Sheltering at Home: Day Zero

March 17, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

house remodel mess

The deadly COVID-19 virus is stalking the San Francisco Bay Area and authorities have ordered me and my neighbors to be sheltering at home starting now. Read more.

Where’s Barbara? On Instagram, of Course

March 14, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

barbara falconer newhall on instagram

Where have I been? On Instagram, of course. So much quicker and easier than writing blog posts. Look for me and lots of photos at @BarbaraFalconerNewhall. Read more.

A Marriage Proposal — The Man Said Yes

March 6, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

marriage proposal

On Saturday Jon and I celebrated the 11th anniversary of our marriage proposal: Yesterday we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. What’s the catch? Read more. 

Cathy Guisewite: I Can’t Wait to Spend Time With This Funny, Wise Lady

April 6, 2019 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

cartoonist Cathy Guisewite's new book, "Fifty Thing That Aren't My Fault," arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Can't wait to read it. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Cathy Guisewite, cartoonist and author of “Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault,” writes the way I want to write: with humor and grace. Read more.

I’m Back! The Writer in Me Is Back With a Book Pitch

March 26, 2019 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

The Douro River from a Viking Cruise ship. After travels, writer me is back at work on a book pitch.

I’m back at the keyboard and hard at work on the book pitch for my project. What do you think? Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Widowed: Are Tears Recyclable?

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.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
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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!

pratt-and-larsen-tile-niche

It’s True. My New Bathroom Is . . . Beautiful

Red chrysanthemums with yellow stripes. photo by bf newhall

A Case of the Human Condition: Flowers Bursting From the Dirt — How Do They Do It?

Fireweed blossom appears purple in the shade on an island in Washington's San Juan Islands. Photo by Barbara Newhall

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

A pretty girl, Christina Newhall, has shaved her head bald and still looks pretty. Photo by Tim Beedle

She’s Shaved Her Head Bald — Is Our Daughter Headed for the Dark Side?

MORE DON'T MISS!

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