My latest "Lost Coast Blues" interview was with writer and anthropologist, Terrie Torgersen Peterson, who writes on Open Salon as "Anthropologist Underground." Terrie says she enjoys exploring in her writing "the intersection of science and culture and my own life as ethnography."

On the show she d… Read full post »

On my next "Lost Coast Blues" show, I interview writer and anthropologist, Terrie Torgersen Peterson, who writes on Open Salon as "Anthropologist Underground." She has a BA in Anthropology from the University of Wyoming. She has done archeological field work in the following locations: Haluzta in Isr… Read full post »

I was pretty excited when memoirist, Sharon Nesbit-Davis (aka Open Salon's "Mimetalker"), responded to my request for writers to interview on my Internet talk show, "Lost Coast Blues." The idea of interviewing a mime on an audio show intrigued me. This might be a real test for my fledgling host skill… Read full post »

On my next "Lost Coast Blues" Internet radio show, I interview memoirist, Sharon Nesbit-Davis. Known as "Mimetalker" on her Open Salon blog, Sharon shares her life experiences in rich, poignant and well-crafted detail. The topics she writes about include interracial marriage, parenthood, social justi… Read full post »

Last Saturday on my Internet radio talk show, "The Lost Coast Blues," I interviewed OS blogger and playwright, Con Chapman, who discussed his newest play, "The Picket Line." The play is being produced this week by the Thespis Theater Festival at the Cabrini Repertory Theater in Manhattan, New York. F… Read full post »

I had the pleasure of interviewing fellow OS blogger, Jonathan Wolfman, last weekend on my Internet radio talk show, The Lost Coast Blues. The show broadcasts live on Saturdays, 11 AM to noon Pacific time from a rural area of Northern California known as the Lost Coast. This is a brand-new… Read full post »

While the vast majority of time I am a caregiver to fellow Homo sapiens sapiens, there are occasions when I have been in charge of the health and well being of a Felis caticus obstinaticus.

If you are not familiar with the concept of "Pilling a Cat," then you… Read full post »

 Bobby and me and some great, old cars . . .  

My profoundly autistic brother, Bobby, was born on July 4. He is my wonderful Independence Day birthday guy who loves American cars from the 1950s, making grape jelly sandwiches, petting cats and going on… Read full post »

 I've decided to take a holiday from the news. I am getting depressed so I am turning off the tube, abstaining from Internet news sites, refusing to fetch my area's daily rag off the front porch, switching to all-music jazz radio, culling from my podcast account all but "A… Read full post »

 Dad, November 2005: A few months after he started falling but before the first stroke. 

The first time I saw my father fall, the image of the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz flashed across my mind. Dad fell, arms and legs flailing in seemingly impossible… Read full post »

"Mamacita," my little Mama, many years ago on a sunny day. 

It's around midnight and my almost 77-year-old Mamacita phones me from her room at St. Joseph Hospital.

"A-lee-sa-bet," she says my name in a whisper, her soft voice floating into my ear in the melodious tones… Read full post »

I received a meditation catalog in the mail yesterday. Or, rather, a catalog advertising meditation products guaranteed to “unleash your health, wealth and power.” Feeling a little unhealthy, unwealthy and powerless lately, I thought I’d give it a gander.

Th… Read full post »

This is what I know about Dad . . .

Kendall Blessing was born on August 12, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois and died on March 24, 2011 in Eureka, CA. He was the son of Gregory and Oma Blessing. He had one brother, William, and two sisters, Joyce and Barbara. He… Read full post »

My 52-year-old autistic brother, Bobby, and I had a conversation a few months ago. It went like this . . .

“Bobby, what are you thinking about?”

“White-cat-meow.” He is sitting in his favorite reclining chair, staring at his fingers intently. He says the words quickly, running… Read full post »