Thoughts for the Day

My Random Thoughts   I used to think charging $22 for an entrée of roasted cauliflower was outrageous. Now it only slightly bothers me. Some days all I need to be happy is a clean windshield and The Black Keys playing on the radio. The first time you meet a surgeon, don’t be intimidated. Ask, “What are my other... read more

Cenotaphs

On a day when I needed a change of scenery, I searched for a cemetery to visit. I found Greenwood Memorial Cemetery off Imperial Avenue in San Diego. With no traffic, it was only a 35 minute drive. I chose this cemetery for one reason, it has a private cenotaph. Cenotaph is a new term for me. It comes from the Greek for empty tomb. The full... read more

Active Kindness

At the beginning of a new year, I try to make a resolution to improve some part of my life. My past resolutions have included the usual: trying to eat healthier or working out more. It’s March and I haven’t made a resolution yet. So I decided to try something simpler, find my word for 2019. My book club read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Eat,... read more

Octopus – Val’s Word of the Day

While writing a review of a restaurant I’d recently eaten at, I enjoyed a laugh-out-loud moment. As I described the food we ordered, I got stuck on the spelling of octopus. It took several tries before it dawned on me how close it was to “ocho” the Spanish word for eight. How can it be that I never made that connection before?... read more

Word of the Day: Donnybrook

I was reading an article in the WSJ today and came across a word I’d never seen or heard spoken: donnybrook. The article was about the town of South Burlington, Vermont where citizens are upset about changing the name of their high school mascot (Rebels). To describe the situation, the reporter used the word ‘donnybrook.’ A quick search... read more