Cesar Chavez’s march to the state capital — I walk with Cesar Chavez, over the hills and past the seas, through California vineyards, strawberry fields and orange groves. I walk with 67 other migrant workers to the state capital, a journey on foot — motivated by our poverty, grit and determination — we march over 340 miles. My…

The doctors I have known — To the men and women in white coats, holding charts and clipboards, sitting on a rotating stool, have a happy National Doctors Day — especially to those who are patient-friendly, as well as the crooks and scoundrels. To the many doctors I have known, from pulmonology to proctology, from psychiatry to podiatry, to…

A tribute to Louis Wain, cat artist extraordinaire — Sadly insane Louis Wain was a special cat fancier in a time when cats were seen as not only a mouse catcher but witchy and sinful. He rescued a cat from a storm, and named him Peter, tied a red bow around his neck, and was a source of inspiration. …

She leads me to the blossom of Spring —

How the star quarterback prepared for the big game — It was Sunday and a critical game. So Cameron, the star quarterback and team leader, made sure he got to the locker room before any of his teammates. Once there, he removed his clothes and performed a secret ritual that had always brought him good luck. The starting quarterback would…

Strange cloudy weather and thoughts — “Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.” — Kurt Vonnegut When I first moved to California in 2012, every day seemed sunny. The sun was shining hot, especially in the afternoon. I kept telling my wife, "It's sunny…

Around the corner, next to the hippie juice bar — I know where to get cheap tacos. There's a taqueria around the corner from the coffee shop where I hang out, next to the hippie juice bar. I only need a five-spot, and don't have to comb my hair or worry about what the girls think, if my laces are untied, or if the socks don't match, everyone…

And the wisdom of the crow — I wake up now in the dark. I’m used to it — the silence, the clarity. I can hear the wind whistling, the raindrops falling, and the tugboat blowing its horn in the oceanic distance. I’m into my thoughts. They’ve become my comrades, giving me unwavering support. I used to…

A foggy recollection of a Syracuse trip — “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” — Joni Mitchell I hear the old tunes in my head. I come from a generation where music was on vinyl, and I remember songs like it was yesterday. In high school in the early seventies, my best friend and I…