Opinion

One of the nice things about portraying characters out of the past is the feeling you get when you stand where they stood and see what they saw. Within this confluence of past and present, there is a palpable kinetic link to be embraced and enjoyed.

Valentines is the day to show love to not only significant others, but to everyone in our lives that we love and cherish. In classic mythology, the god of love and desire known as Cupid, shoots people with his golden arrows and with this very action the person that was shot has now became filled with uncontrollable desire for someone. The moment I laid my eyes on my gorgeous girlfriend, Edith, I knew that I was shot by cupid, and as our relationship grew my love for her grew as well.

I've long wondered how the marathon run came to be 26 miles in the first place. So I did a little research and found the history to be fascinating. It all started, like so many other events in history, after tossing back a few beers, away back in 490 B.C.

Was there humor to be found in the Impeachment Trial? You bet there was. To begin, you can't ask a senator who is used to jumping up and pontificating every five minutes to sit still and listen to somebody else for eight hours without interrupting.

A rescue at sea is always riveting, but the 2020 New Year's Eve Rescue gave me chicken skin all over. In full disclosure I have not ventured out to sea since our honeymoon when my wife did most of the fishing and I did most of the crabbing. Unless standing on shore, anchored in sand, I have no love for the sea. To me a sea cruise is being under house arrest, but with a chance of "drownding."

Last week, I wrote about overwhelm and how to approach it. But, there’s one part of the process of overcoming overwhelm that will trip you up if you don’t understand it - setting priorities.

Priorities fall under a number of categories:

• Critical priority. (Example: Something that has to be done in 24 hours, often has a consequence if not done)
• The deadline is approaching. (Example: Hard deadline, no moving it, often has penalties for missing)

When I was a little kid I read a Donald Duck comic book and was fascinated when I saw Uncle Scrooge McDuck had a coin with his likeness on it. I thought, "I'd like to have a coin like that someday." Well, it only took 70 years, but it looks like it actually might happen.

The Board of Supervisors will review the Andersen Ranch Estates Tentative Map this Thursday, January 16th.  The special session starts at 5:30pm at the Sierra Room of the Community Center at 851 Williams Street, Carson City.


If you were involved with the Vintage project, you will know that the same players under a different owner, Christy Corp., will be presenting their application at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

The following is a short conversation between a mother and her high school son.

What the world needs now is a strong shared narrative that transcends politics, a strong shared narrative that transcends "us verses them" and guess what? That very thing is in the skunkworks. I can't tell you exactly what it is, for that would jinx the whole mission, but it's coming our way soon, perhaps by the end of January. Stay tuned to these pages.

I ask you, how many of us lucky ducks have fallen back on the fine art of keeping bar when our life's calling falls a little short? I'm confident I do not stand alone in the oasis. There are thousands of us grateful "one time cocktologists" who succeeded in their life's work thanks to the glorious and oh so enjoyable salvation of, "Yo-barkeep!"

Music, I have to believe, is the best medicine on the shelf. It cuts down on our doctor bills and keeps us from sourin'. So I went to the Jubilate Holiday Concert in Truckee to cheer myself up and put a spring back in my step. It turned out to be the best decision I could have made.

Last Saturday I was part of the Rotary Club's Shopping Spree. This annual event pairs a Rotarian with a needy child in hopes of purchasing gifts for the child and members of his/her family.

The young man that I accompanied was a rather precocious and talkative eight-year old who was a bit jaded when it came to acknowledging the magic of Christmas. However, during the shopping part of the activity, my new young friend became very animated and hopeful as he talked about selecting gifts for his family and for himself.

Despite our increasing population and existing traffic congestion, the City has plans for a road diet on South Carson Street. What does that mean? In this case, it means reducing the street from six lanes to four from Appion Way to 8th Street, with an additional reduction to one northbound lane north of 8th.

In the spirit of Christmas, the presentation of a sparkling, ornate tree as Christmas approaches, delights all eyes, young and old. While viewing some various artistic trees displayed on social media, we see displays of creative inspiration as well as oddities.

Time to put a log on the fire, crank up Vince Gueraldi's "Linus & Lucy" and invite the neighbors in for an egg nog. It matters not weather those neighbors are Christian or atheist, white or of color, so long as they have good-fellowship in their hearts and a smile in their eyes.

In this long life of mine, nothing looms larger in my memory than riding the perfect wave, well, almost nothing. I could have been a Nick Beck if I hadn't fallen off my board. I used to watch Nick and Joey Cabell surf Cannons off the north shore of Kauai, and wish I could surf like that.

If there is one lesson that 2019 has taught me, it’s that I can’t do it alone. I can’t generate business alone. I can’t work myself through that tough day alone. I can’t do my life alone. Life and business require support. Yet, so many people are afraid to ask for help. They see it as a burden that they have a need. Or, like me, they are just too stubborn to reach out for fear of looking weak or incapable.

The popular sentiment this holiday season seems to be, "I'm going to save so much money this Christmas by talking politics at Thanksgiving."

Dear Editor: A story titled, “Hunger Warriors” in Reno-Tahoe Edibles’ recent issue, stated The Greenhouse Project was built by Karen and Charlie Abowd. While this was a wonderful piece, this statement is incorrect. It is true TGP grew from a vision Karen had for a community that better served its food insecure.

I visited a performance center in Richmond, California last week and came away mightily impressed. How's this for a mission statement:

In human years our sun is 38 years old, so in another five billion years it will run out of gas, and without any emotion to speak of, will accidently vaporize its old friend the Earth. But do not despair. An insurance policy is on the way. By then we will have figured out how to move to a new neighborhood — a new universe, for we are explorers.

As Veteran's Day appears, we should all thank those who have and are currently serving our country. Our military has kept our nation as safe as possible and have put their lives in danger for us and our posterity.

Every day that passes is a day that we should celebrate for a safer and more welcoming time. Show respect for our veterans and for those who are currently serving.

Happy Veteran's Day Carson City!

We could all benefit from stories about honor and heroes right now, especially during this era when extreme partisan politics have upended our country’s equilibrium. Some way, somehow higher roads need to be taken and it needs to start with our ruling political class. Maybe these poignant stories from years past can rekindle a sense of honor that seems in short supply these days.

I had the honor of meeting some young authors at Edgewood Tahoe Resort the other evening, and was heartened to discover that the spirit of Mark Twain is alive and well, as represented by this handful of today's writers who invoke a Twainian sentiment.

Over the Nevada Day Weekend, I was sent a copy of an email from a friend and trusted colleague. The subject matter of this email was a scurrilous attack on Supervisor Lori Bagwell, who may/may not run for Mayor of Carson City, and either way, her final decision to run for Mayor is entirely up to her and inevitably she will present her well qualified credentials to the voters of Carson City.

Impressions. They are what we remember about people, places or things that come into and out of our lives.

Spent the last six weeks out on the Mississippi and Ohio, saving sinners while spreading the Gospel according to Twain. That's what I like to think, anyways. They saved me is probably closer to the truth.

Took a tour of Churchill Downs in Kentucky yesterday and got to see everything but the race. One nice thing about being a Mark Twain impressionist in the 21st century is the possibility that strangers will walk up to you and start talking to you as though they've known you all their lives.

Child welfare can feel like a cold place for families in crisis.

Though efforts have been made through the years to improve this perception, child welfare is still a system of laws that, by their very nature, are unfeeling.