Mt. Baker from Semiahmoo Spit 4.25.26

books

Flypaper, E. Johnson (an exception to my 6 word reviews) My favorite April book is from my good friend Erik Johnson. Flypaper is his edited journal from the time his wife was facing life-ending health challenges and he was experiencing personal transitions.

My grief at Vicki’s slow death knows no bounds. p. 110

On The Hippie Trail, R. Steves intense, humorous, insightful, practical, classic Steves

…there was a standard of gouging Westerners whenever possible. While it got tiresome, it did get me thinking about the gap between the First world and the Third World. Even scruffy backpackers like us had more money than most locals. p. 128

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, W. Isaacson big claim, thoughtful defense

Their (Washington and Jefferson’s) goal on contentious issues was not to triumph but to find the right balance, an art that has been lost today. p. 31

…the purpose of an economy is also something deeper. Its purpose is to create a good society. A good stable society where individuals can be free and flourish and live together in harmony. p. 37

Theo of Golden, A. Levi some mixed feeling on this one

She had learned over the years to live with partial truth… p. 219

How to Dodge a Cannonball, D. Dayle tried to like it, didn’t work

No thank you. I’ve noticed that things get worse whether I talk or not. p. 117

music

April playlist, new, old & captivating

don’t miss these new ones:

viewing

Project Hail Mary throw-back and in the moment

Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It raw beauty, have mercy, have mercy

Big Mistakes cast, especially Levy, sell it BIG

Hacks nothing better, maybe something equal, maybe

The Pit, season 2 not enough hours in the day

pods

Kara gets it, we better listen

great insights into current religious trends

random (f)acts

• full disclosure: when I say I am going to the gym these days, I’m going to the gym at Bellingham Senior Activity Center (BSAC). Yes I am that age.

reading my poem, Reality Check, at the Fairhaven Poetry Pop-up 4.23.26

• My book Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: local independent bookstores including, Village Books Fairhaven & Lynden, Watermark Book Company Anacortes, Fable Books & Blooms Wenatchee, and online at bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon. Crash Course also is on Goodreads.

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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Annually Whatcom READS invites writers to explore a theme inspired by the featured book with top entries published in the Whatcom WRITES anthology.

My poem Reality Check (see below) was a 2026 selection. The theme this year was Family: Formed, Found and Chosen to compliment Solito by Javier Zamora.

Reality Check is fiction rooted in difficult life experiences shared with family and friends. The names represent significant people in my life. Somehow in the midst of struggles, we find strength and solace in the depth of love that transcends time and circumstances.

I will be reading Reality Check as a part of the Salish Sea Poetry Festival Pop-Up event on Thursday April 23rd at Skylarks Cafe in Fairhaven at 6:30 PM (a free all-ages event).

Random facts

Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, my book is available at:

• local independent bookstores including, Village Books Fairhaven & Lynden, Watermark Book Company Anacortes, Fable Books & Blooms Wenatchee

• online at bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.

Crash Course also is on Goodreads.

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If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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Saturday afternoon March 28^th, 2026, I was hosted at Watermark Book Company in Anacortes, by staff members Amberly, Jaycee and Diane for an author meet and greet.

I was stationed at a table near the service desk and spent the afternoon chatting with customers. As people came through the store staff members would mention, “We have a local author in the store today.” and point in my direction. At other times I would see a customer walking by, hold up a copy of Crash Course and ask if they are interested in a book of short stories. This led to numerous conversations.

Over the course of the afternoon, we sold about 15 copies of Crash Course, including selling the last book in store to the last customer I talked with, actually a grandmother, celebrating her eighty-second birthday, her adult daughter and granddaughter, as my scheduled time expired.

The majority of customers I interacted with bought a book, and often additional books or gift items from the store.

The welcoming atmosphere of the store and staff created space for an afternoon of community building. There were brief conversations, little more than a “hello,” where I graciously let people move on. Then there were the conversations with the people who wanted to talk beyond the book.

I spoke with local long-timers, people visiting Anacortes for the day, a college student home for Spring Break, harried young parents, an elementary student who wanted me to know they were an avid reader, and people stopping by on their way to an evening concert.

Crash Course is a book of fictional short stories. I have long said everyone’s life would make an exceptional story or movie if the right person could tell it. The book was a platform for people to share their stories with me and then to begin to explore our life commonalties and uniqueness.

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A bonus discovering a staff member, Diane, had grown up in East Portland about the same time as I did. This led to sharing of cherished memories of favorites places, many long gone, and a few still remaining.

It was a memorable afternoon for me. Meeting and conversing with people, collaborating with the exceptional staff team, and getting to see my book leave the store in people’s hands was gratifying. I trust it was positive for the store in building relationships and increased sales.

Connie drove home, we took Chuckanut Drive, the scenic route. For me Saturday afternoon at Watermark Book Company was a dream come true.

One last thing. Mid-afternoon the store phone rang and a staffer answered. After the call ended, she told me, “That was someone who just bought your book, is home reading it, and really enjoying it.”

In other news:

• I will be reading my poem Reality Check as a part of the Salish Sea Poetry Festival Pop-Up event on April 23rd at Skylarks Cafe in Fairhaven at 6:30 PM.

• My book Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: local independent bookstores, Village Books, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon, and Crash Course also is on Goodreads

• If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

Buy me a cup of tea

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books

We Survived the End of the World, S. Charleston painfully beautiful, reality and offered hope

Part of our inability to move out of the way of an environmental apocalypse is hubris, our overwhelming sense of pride in our own self-worth. From the traditional Native perspective, contemporary American culture lacks any sense of humility. Having been raised in the privileged fantasy that we are immune to the consequences and and able to invent solutions to every crisis… we depend only on ourselves… We will pay for our pride. In fact, we are already paying for it. p. 102

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), S. Stone

…my mother could tell right away on the telephone whether they were talking to Sylvester or Sly. p. 199

I would say drugs didn’t affect me too much, but I didn’t have to be around me. Other people did. p. 212

I had done so many interviews. Reporters listened, or pretended to listen, and then twisted your words… p. 213

A Different Kind of Power, J. Ardern a different kind of leader, hope!

Leadership is a test for which you can only partially prepare. If you’re lucky, the information you need is out there—somewhere. p. 286

Keeper of Lost Children, S. Johnson good story deflated by Hallmark cliches

While he didn’t have all figured out, one thing was certain, he was a grown-ass man. p. 245

music

perfect compliment to the book (above)

Sly + Kinks song = amazing music

Cons and Clowns make it pop

viewing

Paradise, season 2 current fav, please keep it coming

Blue Moon Hawk takes it to another level

Taylor Tomlinson, Prodigal Daughter on a journey called life

Night Agent, season 3 enough twists and action, nice escape

Nuremberg I’m a sucker for historical drama

The Lost Bus kids, bus driver, teacher, fire, intensity

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pods

exceptional coaching, she gets it

I love Sinners so much

we are our own worst enemies

random (f)acts

March included a trip to the Oregon Coast with Connie (see Elk above), birthdays with family and friends, mowing the lawn, and Crash Course events (photo below and one more event info below too).

upcoming Crash Course events:

Saturday March 28, 12 Noon until 3 PM, I’ll be at Watermark Book Co., Anacortes for an author meet and greet

Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: Village Books, Watermark, Anacortes, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon

and Crash Course is now on Goodreads

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

buy me a cup of tea

Subscribe now

You are invited to join me for a Crash Course event. I will be sharing the process of creating Crash Course, writing Flash Fiction, reading, and commenting on selected stories and taking audience questions.

Saturday March 21st, 2026, 6:00 PM

Village Books 1200 11th St Bellingham, WA 98225

more details in the link below:

Book Talk tickets (Tickets required for admission, includes a VB coupon)

Hope to see you there!

other Crash Course news & events:

Saturday March 28, 12 Noon until 3 PM, I’ll be at Watermark Books, Anacortes for an author meet and greet

Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: Village Books, Watermark, Anacortes, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon

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books

Wards of the State, Rowe not enough words for this one

…around this time Longworth first heard the term “foster-care-to-prison-pipeline.” It irked him because he found it imprecise. In Longworth’s view, the pipeline was more like a circuit. A snake that fed on its own, an ouroboros of misery, its outputs becoming fuel to keep the beast alive. Foster care was the mouth of this creature, the entryway to a system that devoured everyone he’d ever known. p.76

Adults often marvel at the “resilience” of children. But based on what I’d seen, a more apt description would be to paint them as survivalists, hanging on. p. 121

State officials talked about making things better for families, but they passed laws withholding financial support. p. 178

Vigil, G. Saunders transcendent in story and delivery

I could now offer him the most precious gift of all. Do not be afraid, I said. For you are inevitable. An inevitable occurrence. p. 81

Spent, A. Bechdel relational complexity, commonalities are constant

Alison had always tried to be presentable when leaving the house. But really, what’s the point anymore?

Was that a pandemic thing or part of the aging process, she wonders at her stage of life, the two seemed to blur together. p. 40

Marce Catlett: the Force of a Story, W. Berry almost breathless when I finished this

…if Wheeler had gone away to make his life in Chicago, an incalculable difference would have descended into his absence. Many lives that have been lived and are being lived, could not have been, and many yet to be lived could not be. p. 52

The Last Manager, J. Miller throwback or bridge, Weaver was baseball

The Sodfather carried out his boss’s orders, watering down the basepaths against fast teams and letting the sun harden the dirt against weak defenses. p. 126

Family: Formed, Found and Chosen my poem, Reality Check, page 209

The response was a tsunami of mercy… p. 209

music

just what I need these days

Back to the beginning with Linda

GRAMMY WINNERS
Mavis wins 2, posting again

I’m With Her wins big, repost

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viewing

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with SC to the bitter end

The Muppet Show needed this, Pepe is my favorite

The Pit, season 2 hooked by cast and story

Hijack, season 2 convoluted, Edris Elba saves it again

pods

living life and sharing the love

it’s happening right before our eyes

settle in, listen and learn

random (f)acts

upcoming Crash Course events:

Wednesday February 25, 10:30 AM, Bellingham Senior Activity Center (BSAC) BSAC sign-up here

Saturday March 21, 6 PM, Village Books, Fairhaven Village Books sign-up here

Saturday March 28, 12 Noon until 3 PM, I’ll be at Watermark Book Co., Anacortes for an author meet and greet

Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: Village Books, Watermark, Anacortes, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon

and Crash Course is now on Goodreads

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

buy me a cup of tea

Subscribe now

Crash Course readers have asked: Which Crash Course stories are real, you know, from your life?

I can connect about sixty stories to my life experiences and memories, these are dominated by family and childhood. That leaves about forty to have somehow emerged from within. In all honesty, almost every story is a blending of memories, experience and daydreaming.

Hopefully the list below will answer some questions and possibly spark further conversation. Enjoy.

1. Watching Luis - rooted in my love of baseball history

2. Drifting Toward Twilight - written when I was in my late 40’s observing the generation before mine (my parents) dealing with end of life

3. The End - I was working with college students and watching them navigating the rapidly expanding world of social networking

4. Hunting - thinking of my family roots in “country” life

5. Conversion- connected to childhood experience with a neighborhood Bible Club

6. The Fight- a very exaggerated story influenced by my relationship with my younger brother, John

7. Again - sadly, this is a version of my family life

8. Let Me Go - close to actual experience I had on a team with my brother when we were in our twenties

9. Facing Mom - my version of an interaction with my mom, we talked about this one over the years

10. Hope That Won’t Be Quenched - my mom told a similar story, many times

11. I Saw It - influenced by too many stories of family and friends

12. Tradition - fiction

13. He Didn’t Care - made it up

14. Hot Summer Night - summer memories from the neighborhood

15. The Choir - I am still self-conscious about my singing

16. Be Careful - family friends, I heard about it in adults conversations, enough said

17. Peaceful Winds - fiction, I sent a version to a TV show, got a “no thanks” response

18. Like an Old Western - you’d think this was fiction, but it is another family story

19. When She’s Alone - exploring ideas and observing my mom over the years

20. Stumps - based on memory of a friend who lost their legs in a home fire, a fire that he may or may not have started

21. That One Was Answered - rooted in my long frustration with the concept and practice of “prayer”

22. Expectations - fiction

23. Before Midterms - made this one up

24. Hatred Owned My Brother - true fiction, John had no part in this story!

25. The Fall Chill - fiction

26. Mom Collected Strays - if you knew my mom you wouldn’t ask

27. Listening In - much time has been spent writing in coffee shops, fiction

28. It Was a Joke - vague memory of long ago

29. His Everything - fiction

30. Grandma’s Message - Grandma Schmotzer and her home on 76^th were the inspiration for this one

31. Sister Said She’d Help - from a playground conversation with the school administrative assistant when I was teaching in the late 70’s

32. You’re Wasting My Time - an exaggeration of a “fight” I lost in elementary school

33. How Times have Changed - fictionalization of story of extended family members

34/ I Still Hate It - and I still have no interest in fishing

35. The Long Walk - I’m guessing the boys of Stephens Street remember this day

36. I looked Like Her - made up, influenced by my work in child abuse prevention

37. Guess We’ll Find Out - fiction

38. Resolution - rooted in long ago tragedy, still feel this one

39. Right Over the Plate - more love of baseball

40. She Found Her Peace - family influenced

41. Closure - fiction

42. We Don’t Care - close to a situation I experienced in the late 70’s

43. How Long - more memories of teaching in a rural school in the 70’s

44. Resurrecting Easter - fiction

45. Afraid of Finding Out - fiction

46. Someone Else’s Story - fictitious gut-punch of reality

47. I’m Ready - mishmash of childhood thinking, thankfully not action

48. Not a Bad Start - faint connection to my first kiss memories

49. My Best Stuff - maybe related to a medical procedure I had in the 80’s

50. Back of the Bus - letting the imagination flow

51. Sadie - based on family dog story from my childhood

52. Striking Out - maybe my favorite baseball story, love the Cobb connection

53. the Last Encore - thought this up sitting in the balcony at a Mavis Staples concert

54. Too Much Pain - Covid arrives, I start processing through writing

55. Can’t Be - too close to things happening in Whatcom County

56. Our Soul Knows - emotional processing

57. Zoom School - I was working in local schools during the pandemic, saw versions of this over and over

58. Enough - made up, too close to what was possible

59. Thanks For Asking - observations turn into a story

60. Essentials? - fiction (don’t we wish all of Covid was fiction?)

61 - 66. Covid-19 Hits Home - Stories of six students, loosely based on students I knew and what was happening in schools everywhere

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67. We’re Trying - more fiction

68. The End of the World - to close to reality for too many of the kids during the pandemic

69. Long Before - fiction

70. Never returned - fiction

71. The Villa - more fiction

72. Sure Taught ‘Em - I wish this was not so close to reality

73. Running Away - may have watched Circus Boy too much as a kid

74. Can I Help You? - not sure where this one came from

75. Text Time - so many stories of parents and teens navigating cell phones

76. Family Time - thinking about family realities

77. Perpetual Struggle - I have spent (too) much of my lifetime in organizational meetings…

78. Remember - now in my 70’s I do a lot of thinking about aging, interesting this was written 20 years after Drifting Toward Twilight

79. Privilege Problems - wish I hadn’t lived a version of this

80. All Five Pieces - I have a strange memory of something like this happening to a childhood friend, no actual evidence

81. Justice? - I had similar jury duty experience

82. The Long Way Home - a memory from my first few days driving school bus, part-time college student job

83. Nooooo! - close to a story from my camp director days

84. Movie Time - 1960’s, Hood Theater, Gresham, over and over

85. A Dream Day - as a young married couple Connie and I were caretakers at a “historic mansion” and I’m guessing somewhere family and friends still tell this story, I wonder if they laugh

86. I Understand - shaped by my varied roles and many years in schools

87. Reality Check - made up this one, influenced by coaching in many situations

88. Just the Way it is - my raging at our unjust, inhumane health care system

89. My Whole Life - listening and observing (post-Covid) life shifts for many

90. Collecting - my brother and I followed our dad as paper carriers; dad would help if needed, we both have versions of this from our experience

91. Doing My Job - my first paycheck job was in a restaurant, saw and learned a lot

92. the Expert - I believe my brother will back me on this one

93. What Now? - influenced by the story of a childhood neighbor who outlived their siblings

94. Shattering Glass - yep, summer night on Stephens Street

95. Slide After Slide - sat through unending missionary slide presentations growing up, let my mind wander

96. One Mistake - another I’d rather not acknowledge, too close to reality

97. Long, Hard Road - thoughts of grandparents in the Depression era

98. Survival - it’s a little bit me with made-up ending

99. 1948 - family lore

100. What Ya Got - made up story

101. Do They Know? - my parents are always with me

I think the acknowledgements may bring further light to some stories

upcoming Crash Course events:

Wednesday February 25, 10:30 AM, Bellingham Senior Activity Center (BSAC) BSAC sign-up here

Saturday March 21, 6 PM, Village Books, Fairhaven Village Books sign-up here

Saturday March 28, 12 Noon until 3 PM, I’ll be at Watermark Book Co., Anacortes for an author meet and greet

Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: Village Books, Watermark, Anacortes, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

buy me a cup of tea

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books

The Man of Many Fathers, R. Wood Jr. insightful refreshing and, yes, humorous

That’s the hardest part of parenting: figuring out how to heal your damage and protect your child from suffering the same damage, all while figuring out how you became that damaged in the first place. p. 5

Coded Justice, S Abrams little slow for a long thriller

…years…had taught him the difference between urgency and impatience. p. 340

The urge to do right too often drove the good into wrong. p. 359

King of Ashes, S. A. Crosby buckle up for this one friends

Neveah thought it was funny how their father never missed a call, but he had missed his own life passing him by. p. 35

The Widow, J. Grisham slow launch, middle pops, end drags

Elenore refused to meet at Starbucks, said she felt too old there, as if, at the age of eighty-five, there was a place where she might feel young. p. 40

music

song of the season #1…

song of the season #2…

another great one from CMA

songs for reflection, a “quiet triumph”

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viewing

Wake Up Dead Man searching to find the true truth

Song Sung Blue wish my dad could see this

All Her Fault Snook, THE actress for our time?

Bugonia twisted, grizzly, almost humorous

Pluribus catchy, Rhea Seehorn carried it

One Battle After Another fell short of the hype

pods

connects with book, great stuff

again, how did we get here?

crucial insight for now!

wish this would go away

no room for ignoring reality

random (f)acts

I will be reading my new poem, Reality Check, at Village Books Fairhaven on Sunday February 15, 2 pm. This is connected to Whatcom Writes, a program of Whatcom Reads. Free event, advance registration is required, registration link here. Hope to see you on the 15th.

My book, Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at: Village Books, Watermark, Anacortes, bookshop.org, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

buy me a cup of tea

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In the midst of the chaos I need some solace. A place of rest. Music meets me in the moment.

Songs, artists, albums, and concerts have often been my solace in tough times and in this moment of grasping for hope I turn to music, again.

Over the past years I have developed this list of songs from each of my eight decades. Together they tell a story of what gives me a sense of deeper purpose and centering. These songs are the language of my soul, deep seeking deep, grasping for hope, and breath to life.

I could write a long piece on each song…let me know if you ever want to have an extended conversation.

To those who have shared moments and seasons related to these songs, I am thankful for the memories and how the music has deepened our relationships.

There are 30+ songs on this list, over two hours of music. If you listen you will get to know me in a new, fuller way. My hope is also, that you will discover some gems that find a place in your heart.

And maybe when I have left this time and space these songs will provide a spark, a whisper, to remind you of me.

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My new book, Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at Village Books or online:

• Village Books, Bellingham

• bookshop.org

• BarnesandNoble.com

• Amazon

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

buy me a cup of tea

Subscribe now

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My top five posts of 2025 :

1. Book release

2. March check-in

3. Memories of childhood in the 50's & 60's

4. Please help with my book release

5. First you have to get out of town

6. Journey toward shalom

Thanks again and I look forward to connecting in this new year.

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You are invited to join me at…

link for tickets

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books

1. Angel Down, Daniel Kraus - ethereal

2. Tilt, Emma Pattee - fascinating

3. I See You’ve Called in Dead, John Kenney - quirky

4. The Franchise, Seattle Seahawks, Michael-Shawn Duggar - compelling

5. Church Camp, Cara Meredith - revealing

6. The Barn, Wright Thompson - eye-opening

7. How to be a Saint, Kate Sidley - enlightening

8. Murderland, Caroline Fraser - stark

9. Circle of Hope, Eliza Griswold - tenacious

10. Don’t Forget We’re Here Forever, Lamorna Ash - refreshing

11. Breaks of the Game, David Halberstam - timeless

My 2025 publications

• Elder Voices, Elder Voices Project, I have 3 poems in this anthology

• Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, James Schmotzer (see below, thanks for supporting my work)

music

1. Wild and Clear Blue, I’m With Her - exceptional

2. Room on the Porch, Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal - comforting

3. Crown of Roses, Patty Griffin - introspective

4. The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy James McMurtry - gritty

5. We’re Only Human, Hayes Carl - open

6. Hummingbird Highway, Dar Williams - classic

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viewing

TV

1. The Lowdown (FX) - truth

2. Late Night with Stephen Colbert (CBS) - heroic

3. Adolescence (Netflix) - confrontational

4. The Pitt (HBO) - stretching

5. Hacks (HBO) - consistent

6. Jim Thorpe, Lit By Lightening (History Channel) - finally

7. Task (HBO) - pace

8. Dark Winds - excellent

9. The American Revolution (PBS) - revelation

10. The Diplomat (Netflix) - surprising

movies

1. Sinners - singular experience, nothing close to this in 2025

2. Train Dreams - roots

3. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale - perspective

4. Thelma - hopeful

5. A Real Pain - complicated

6. Conclave - deeper

7. Past Lives - maybe

pods

1. Sacred Scandal, Oscar - revealing

2. Amazing Sports Stories, Bill Walton and the Grateful Dead - enriching

3. The Other 22 Hours - warm

4. The Daily (NYT) - informative

5. On With Kara Swisher - tenacious

6. The Interview (NYT) - eye-opening

7. Plain English - wise

8. Cigar Thoughts - insightful

9. Code Switch - challenging

10. Have You Heard - essential

11. The Chuck ToddCast - balanced

My new book, Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at Village Books or online:

• Village Books, Bellingham

• bookshop.org

• BarnesandNoble.com

• Amazon

Hope to see you all in 2026!

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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It started with Sear’s, Ward’s and Penny’s catalogues arriving in our mail box. Each almost as thick as the Portland phonebook, with slick shiny covers and pages of what I thought was every toy I would ever need.

After scouring the toy sections a number of times, I went to work, circling items I wanted, Tonka Trucks, Mattel guns, Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. I ran a pen round and round an image and wrote my initials to make certain everybody got the point. Thinking that might not be enough to get my parents’ attention I would dog-ear the pages holding my deep longings. I’d, also, drop hints in conversations, point out items in commercials, and sometimes, sit on the couch with my Mom going page by page explaining the reasons these were things I needed and deserved.

Getting a Christmas tree was one of those things where Johnny, my younger brother, and I watched our parents try to keep the holiday spirit while edging ever closer to a “fight.” Dad was all business about the process, timing and price. Mom was fluid, in the moment. When she felt like it.

On some dark, drizzly December evening the spirit would hit my Mom, “We need to get a tree.” After a convoluted conversation and depending on how long my Dad had been at the tavern after work, he eventually gave in, saying, “Let’s go. Everybody in the car.”

“Don’t forget your coats and hats,” Was my Mom’s contribution. Johnny and I would pile in the backseat of the Chevy wagon; Dad would light up, turn on the radio, and start driving.

Considering Christmas trees, Mom had one firm rule, it had to be a Nobel Fir. Dad had his own rule, “We won’t spend a dime over five bucks.”

There were other softer expectations that allowed flexibility. “A good tree should be at least six feet tall.” Dad’s idea. Reality was that often the best deal was a dollar a foot. Mom focused on shape. The space between the branches, and how did the top look?

We would pull off the road at a random tree lot, often the side parking area of a service station. We’d all get out; Dad would flip up his collar and start a new cigarette. Mom would go one way and Dad the other. Johnny and I could do as we pleased, as long as we came when Dad called.

“Barb, I think I have one over here.” We would hustle toward his voice to see the tree. He then called for Mom another time or two, until on the edge of blowing he’d say, “Barbara, where the hell are you?” At the same time, she’d round a corner and respond, “I got lost trying to find the Nobel’s.” Dad would look at us and shrug his shoulders.

Dad clutched a tree and moved it toward Mom. “That’s because they are all right here and this is the best one.” I’m not sure he believed it was the best, but he wanted to avoid a long drawn-out process of decision making. It rarely worked.

Mom would point to other trees and Dad would explain that they were either too expensive or too something else. In the end Mom would get the tree she selected, usually six foot tall and Dad would negotiate to get his five-dollar price.

The tree would be stuffed in the back end of the wagon, and we’d make our way home.

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Maybe the worst Christmas, or at least the worst Christmas event in my life happened when I was in third grade. Our school had an annual Christmas pageant. Each grade took part. I have no idea who decided what each grade would do, but whoever decided what our class would do this year must have hated little boys. We were informed that we were going to be dancing poinsettias. Weeks of practice had us making little circles with our hands arched over our heads, basic moves that were too close to ballet, in my opinion.

The week of the performance our costumes were revealed. Big red crepe flower petals around our necks and bigger green crepe leaves around the waist. There was considerably whispering amongst the boys about possible ways to get out of the performance.

As the show approached, I begged to skip it. “Mom, we are dancing. Please let me stay home.” She didn’t budge. She did not seem aware of the “boy” code of the world I lived in.

On the day of the show things got worse. After school I tried to convince my Mom that I was sick. She didn’t buy it. As the evening arrived my grandparents met us at our house and expressed excitement about seeing the performance.

I tried to hide in the back seat as we drove to school. Once there I walked to my classroom, stalling with each step. When I entered the room moms were helping kids get their costumes “just right.”

The person helping me asked, “Are you excited to perform tonight?” Never having been a good liar and thinking I might throw up soon, I forced a, “Uh-huh.” I feared I was about to cry, another breaking of the “boy” code.

Soon we made our way to the stage in the gym. We saw the end of the first grade performance as tin soldiers. Next, the second grade was snowmen, singing, “Frosty.” I wondered how we got stuck being dancing flowers.

Our music started and the teacher told us to be fluid, whatever that meant. We danced out and made our turns. My stomach churned. I kept moving and refused to look at the crowd. The music stopped and the crowd cheered. We hurried off stage and went back to our classroom to wait for the program to end. Our teacher told us, “Class, you can keep your costumes as a memory of this lovely evening.” Thanks, no thanks, I thought.

When the program was over, we were escorted to the gym to meet our families.

“You did great.” Said my Mom as she hugged me. My Dad nodded his head, possibly affirming he understood the ordeal I had endured. My Grandparents said their versions of affirmations.

I was beginning to think it wasn’t as bad as my fears when Johnny capped the evening by saying, “Why did you wear a flowery dress and dance?”

Thanks, no thanks… Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all.

My new book, Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less, is available at Village Books or online:

• Village Books, Bellingham

• bookshop.org

• BarnesandNoble.com

• Amazon

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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books

The Franchise: Seattle Seahawks, M-S Dugar never be anything like this again

Lynch replied, You can’t do it or you won’t? You can… finish that… or you can tell me about how much you can’t do it. p. 238

Oxford American (magazine) Southern Music Issue Vol.#27, Austin Live Willie, Lyle, Nanci, Patty & more!

Crash Course, J Schmotzer, no surprise, had to mention it

music

showing no sign of slowing down

fresh listen to a great album

never tire of Todd Rundgren

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viewing

The American Revolution breathing history to life

The Diplomat, Season 3 a step beyond usual streaming fare

The Beast In Me cast clicks and story flows

Death By Lightening presidential history, tweaked but still intriguing

pods

Steves is a passionate world changer

random (f)acts

not much, working through knee injury, trip to Italy (with Rick Steves Tours and an injured knee), and released my first book (see above)

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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Crash Course is a surprising collection of short stories looking at the complexities of daily life and relationships from varied perspectives, and each story is told in 101 words or less.

Crash Course is available tomorrow (11.25) at:

· Village Books (in store for purchase or pre-order pick-up)

· bookshop.org

· BarnesandNoble.com

· Amazon

Tuesday evening, November 25th I will be at ROAM, 1205 Washington St, Bellingham, WA to meet anyone wanting to get a copy signed (sorry, I will not have copies for sale at ROAM).

These earlier posts give more info about the book and how you can support me in this journey.

Crash Course release

How to support this effort

Thanks for your continued friendship and support.

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My new book Crash Course, 101 Stories, Each 101 Words or Less is being released November 25th. Here is a link to my earlier post telling the Crash Course book release story.

You may be wondering; How can I support Jim in this adventure? Here are some practical ways you can help me at this time:

• Like, follow, and forward, my posts about Crash Course

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• Pre-buy Crash Course

• Wait until it is actually available (November 25) and buy a copy of Crash Course

• Buy Crash Course from Village Books, if you can (it helps me the most) - I will be at ROAM Coffee Tuesday evening November 25th from 6:30 - 8 pm to sign books (for anyone who gets their copy that day)

• Ask your local independent bookstore to sell Crash Course

• Read Crash Course

• Write a review (and post it)

• Leave your copy of Crash Course somewhere and have to buy another one

  or so someone else reads it

• Say nice things about Crash Course, online and IRL

• Plan to show up when I do a Crash Course event – Saturday, March 21^st @ 6 PM, Village Books, Fairhaven

• Post a photo of you, me and a copy of Crash Course, with big smiles, of course

• Buy another copy of Crash Course and give it as a gift, thinking stocking stuffer, gift exchange, the relative you can never think of what they will enjoy,…

Crash Course can be found at:

• Village Books, Bellingham & Lynden

• bookshop.org

• barnesandnoble.com

• amazon.com

Thanks for your support!

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It’s happening. I am releasing my first book. I hope you will buy (links below) a copy and enjoy the stories. For my Bellingham/Whatcom County friends purchasing from Village Books helps me and builds our community. In the coming days I will be sharing more ways you can help me with this effort and details about upcoming public readings. Thanks for your support!

Crash Course is a collection of very short stories that explore ever-changing human situations and emotions including introspection, tragedy, comedy, relational struggles, familial connections, and a few baseball tales. Also included are stories highlighting the unique pain and grace of the Covid pandemic.

Crash Course will appeal to those looking for short stories, with punch, a hook, a twist, and maybe a surprise ending.

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Crash Course review

Dave Wheeler, senior editor at Shelf Awareness says:

Jim Schmotzer is the type of gifted storyteller who can capture with succinct beauty the textured cadences of humble lives lived vibrantly and soulfully.

Reading Crash Course feels like sitting around the kitchen table with old friends late into a summer night.

Author bio:

James “Jim” Schmotzer caught the writing bug when he had a poem selected for an elementary school anthology, something about a frog on a log in a bog. In 1980 he had his first piece published in a professional journal, and since then has written humor, essays, poetry, and fiction.

Jim’s career was focused in education, ministry and other non-profit settings. Bellingham has been home for Jim and his wife Connie for over 45 years. They have two adult sons and five grandchildren.

CRASH COURSE

Crash Course release date is November 25 and is available for pre-release orders now at:

· Village Books, Bellingham & Lynden

· bookshop.org

· BarnesandNoble.com

· Amazon

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Booker T. Jones at the Mount Baker Theater

books

I See You've Called in Dead J. Kenney surprise, ridiculous, erratic, to gut-wrenching

Are we ever fully honest with someone else? I don’t mean to suggest outright lies, but do we really express those quieter, deeper feelings? p. 81

…all those lives and friends and family and loves and thinking you are all going to die one day and wondering what we are going to do with the knowledge we daily ignore. p. 117

music

perfect mix of talent and heart

CMA new song, always good news

the blues to piece the soul

perfect for this and every time

we can only hope, always hope

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viewing

Task hopelessness, despair, redemption, renewal, Ruffalo excels

Warfare painfully real, please, no more war

The Lowdown (again) captivating, quirky, exceptional cast, Hawke excels

pods

will we ever grow beyond this

the cry for justice haunts all

random (f)acts

October was a big month, big news coming soon…

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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books

A Family Matter, C. Lynch caught me off guard, brilliant, beautiful

There ought to be more to life than washing machines and emails and remembering to put out recycling in the right day. But life is also this. It is all of this. p. 25

…they will keep it to themselves for now. It is too much for the children to cope with, reality. A granddad who is not invincible. Illness, death. All of it. That is what parents do; it is their job to protect children from painful truths. p. 105

Run For the Hills, K. Wilson family in everchanging reality and hope

…most therapy consisted of focusing on how your parents messed you up, and then finding ways to keep that pain contained within your own body so you didn’t pass it on to anyone else or yell too much at the responsible people. p. 54

Mad thought about how far she had come, how many miles, how much awkwardness and anxiety and sadness she had experienced, and it made her unspeakably sad to think of quitting now. p. 118

Beautiful Ugly, A. Feeney another caught me off guard, fascinating

I can’t find the right words so I say the simplest ones. p. 19

I don’t know how I didn’t notice in the daytime, I guess sometimes we only see what we expect to see. p. 253

The Compound, A. Rawle cultural moment revealed in deep feels

I thought, in a brief moment of unease, about the trampoline that I had wanted so desperately as a child—that maddening, all-consuming desire to possess something that I didn’t have—and how quickly I had tired of it, how soon after I was looking for something new to covet. p. 162

How To Be A Saint, K. Sidley True enough, funny enough, good reading

Heaven is where the dead are reunited with their loved ones, and where they find out which loved ones didn’t make the cut. p. 40

Bilocation is the ability to be in two places at once. Every mom has the mystical power of bilocation. p. 141

music

a new song for the ages

new stuff, want to listen more

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viewing

The Lowdown Harjo, Hawke, Tulsa, ‘nuf said

Downton Abbey, the Grand Finale perfect ending for looking forward

Only Murders in the Building

The Thursday Murder Club great cast, good story, satisfying ending

The Residence Uzo Aduba is all you need

pods

Note: sorry for the glitchy pod links this month

constitution needs to be followed, protected

honest life learning and sharing

random (f)acts

Rumor is that I have a book being released in the near future

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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If you grew up in Portland in the fifties and sixties, especially on the Eastside, you did certain things.

You went to the beach with your family on a Saturday. Your family was probably either Seaside or Cannon Beach people. Seaside was a happening town, arcade, rides, restaurants, shops, and a beach, a west coast version of an east coast beach town. Cannon Beach was quiet, small town and a beach.

You swam and picnicked with family and friends at Rooster Rock on the Columbia River and Lewis and Clark Park on the Sandy River.

You got dropped off or when older rode your bike to go swimming at Blue Lake Park, for a quarter, and avoided the high dive.

You caught crawdads off the bridge at Johnson Creek.

You stood on the top of Rocky Butte and Mount Tabor.

You took out-of-town visitors to Multnomah Falls or Mount Hood.

You went shopping for school clothes at Eastport Plaza, Gateway, and Lloyd Center. Your mom eventually bought most of your clothes at Penny’s.

Your family did their “one stop shopping” at Fred Meyer.

You drove downtown one evening at Christmas time to see the decorated windows and toy displays at Meier and Frank, and to get your picture Santa.

You watched Dr. Zoom, Rusty Nails, Heck Harper, Mr. Duffy, and other kid shows on channels 6, 8 and 12 and later 2. Before you were old enough to go to school you watched Romper Room, if you were lucky you got to be on Romper Room (I did).

You spent Saturday night watching Portland Wrestling on Channel KPTV 12, maybe with your grandma.

You listened to KISN radio, your parents listened to KEX, ugh.

You ate Chinese food at restaurants on 82^nd

You knew the best fried chicken was from the Speck, you may not have known the Speck was Kentucky Fried Chicken.

You always hoped you could go to Farrell's for your birthday.

You loved Obie’s Buffet because you got to make your own ice cream sundae.

You sat in your car and drank root beer from A & W, in a frosty mug with a corndog. Occasionally you got a float.

You sat in your car, again, and ate burgers at Yaw's while waiting for a police officer to tap on your window and give you Tootsie Rolls.

You spent Saturdays at the Mt. Hood Theater. If you were lucky your parents would take you to the Laurelhurst, the Mt. Tabor, or the Roseway to catch a different movie. And, if you were really lucky, they’d take you downtown to the Music Box, the Orpheum, the Broadway, or the Fox to see a new movie when it first came out.

You skated on ice at Silver Skate and on wheels at the Gresham rink.

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You went to Jantzen Beach for your grandfather’s Elks picnics, swimming, and amusement rides, always avoiding the Big Dipper.

You went, a few cherished times, to the Memorial Coliseum for Buckaroo Hockey games and Multnomah Stadium for Beaver’s baseball.

You waited each august for the Multnomah County Fair in Gresham.

You went to OMSI to see the Invisible Lady (snickering with friends on school field trips because she was naked), walk through the giant heart and gawk at the stuffed, malformed sheep.

You went to Oaks Park during “1905 week” (which was connected to the Lewis and Clark Expedition Centennial Exhibition, that we knew little of) for cheap amusement rides and the arcade games.

You went to MKC (Multnomah Kennel Club) with your dad. Sometimes he’d let you pick the dog for a bet.

You stood on the sidewalk with your family for the Rose Festival Parade and hid behind your dad when the pirates or cavemen got too close. After the parade you went to the waterfront and waited in line to get on a ship, because your dad was in the Navy.

And you went to the Zoo to see the elephants, especially Rosey, and the babies Packy, and Me-Tu, and, maybe some other animals.

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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book

Don't Forget We're Here Forever, A New Generation's Search for Religion, L. Ash game changer link to detailed review

Murderland, C. Fraser desperate victims of our selfish choices

It takes two great American families to build a city of serial killers: the Rockefellers and the Guggenheims. p. 33

So Far Gone, J. Walter fast paced, family struggles and realities

We all have to live through a dark season now and then. This is what Kinnick told himself, in the coming months, during his long, painful recovery and the difficult time that followed. Still, he found himself wondering, How do we get back from something like this? P. 248

All the Mothers, D. Ruta whole lotta of living in this

…we have choices! Sandy Laughs.

“We do! Steph laughs harder. “If only we knew what they were.” p. 122

…googles herself into fantasies of hospitals and funeral homes. It doesn’t matter how many times the internet steers her headfirst into certain death, she always returns. p. 162

Good Dirt, C. Wilkerson

…Master Oldham was just like other men. Quick to look away when there was something they did not wish to see. p. 108

Sometimes when a person comes around, it’s simply too late. p. 295

music

more so with each new song

bridging generations, cultures and styles

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viewing

The Bear, season 4 Episode 7, the wedding, holy shit

Past Lives tugged my heart, made me think

Jim Thorpe - Lit by Lightning watch it, and read the book

Hostage my kind of perfect gripping escape

The Rainmaker good enough to keep me watching

Chief of War history, culture and action, good stuff

Jurassic World Rebirth free tickets, why not see it?

Wednesday, season 2 not holding our interest this time

pods

strong start to promising new pod

making the most of your lifetime

making a difference looking forward

random (f)acts

If you are enjoying my posts and want to support my efforts and ideas, please click the button below, and buy me a cup of tea. Thanks!

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