I was surprised to find in the mail this week a huge package for me. It turned out to be a gigantic ceramic finger labyrinth. This big boy is heavy. My benefactor was a member of the Labyrinth Society who has been participating in the social media committee I lead. How incredibly sweet is that!…
Made a Gluten and Dairy Free Cake!
For a friend’s birthday, I took on the challenge of making a gluten free, dairy free cake. I was a bit worried about how it would come out, but I was pleasantly surprised! The basis was this recipe from King Arthur flour. I actually subbed in the Trader Joe’s gluten free flour and used coconut…
System Updates
Bones creakLungs wheezeJoints acheI pay them no mindIt’s just the hardware talking My spirit still soarsAt the pulse of a house grooveFresh brioche in the ovenThe expectant silence of Quaker worshipMy beloved’s hand in mine. August 2026
“Gravity” Music Video featuring Panther Skate (and Me!)
I only recently discovered this music video that came out two years ago that features footage of Panther Skate Plaza, including a couple of shots of me. Or more precisely, my skates. Oh and me doing a drop split. The song is “Gravity” by Oakland based R&B musician Xay V. I love the vibe of…
Watching “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” for the First Time
“Play the five tones.” I finally watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). I understand now why this film had such a profound cultural impact. Steven Spielberg’s grounded, realism based film making focusing on the human experience of “first contact” was so different from any other sci-fi made at the time. Richard Dreyfus plays…
Working the McDLT Station at McDonalds
One of my first jobs as a teen was as the designated McDLT cook at my local McDonalds. The McDLT was made on a special machine that had a bun toaster, a grill for the burgers, containers for the iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion, and hose-connected squirters for the mayo and ketchup. The whole thing…
Learning is about Repetition
A short video I made on the process of learning a new skill. I made this inspired by a session focused on executing the “power slide” on inline skates.
Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Okay fine, I get it, it’s amazing!
I finished watching “Star Trek Deep Space Nine” a few weeks ago, and I’m still reeling from the experience. As as sci-fi fan and Trekkie, “Deep Space Nine” (or DS9, as it’s often called) has been on my watch list for literally decades. But I never got around to it, intimidated by the seven seasons…
Fogo Azul Drum Corps (poem)
Bap bap bap bap-bap!Bap bap bap bap-bap!Hits us like thunderFrom a hundred drummersRocking the boardwalk. She’s decked out in a blue tee, green epaulets,blue lipstick, glitter on brown skin.Beats a fierce rhythm with her comrades.“I see you!” we shout.She points at us and drums a little louder. For a milli-second, we’re connected —Us to the…
The welcome sign to the Sibley Preserve is so good
Yesterday, Satise and I hiked around the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, one of the many amazing local parks in the East Bay. It was such a lovely hike that included two amazing labyrinths. I knew it was going to be a great day when we encountered this sign welcoming us to the park: Robert Sibley…









