A Seattle tradition since 1889, Norwegians (me among them) descend on Ballard to celebrate “Syttende Mai” – May 17th’s Norwegian Constitution Day. Continue reading
Tag Archives: ‘spirit of place’
White-trash garlic bread
I can’t get no satisfaction. I grew up wanting more, and why not? It was my culture. Even the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger wailed dissatisfaction over a girl dissatisfied with him. But why? Blame it on TV… Continue reading
Turkey: Coming home
I’M NOT TURKISH, I don’t speak Turkish (much), and I don’t have ties to anything Turkish in the U.S.A. Yet when the plane touches down at Istanbul’s airport – my eighth trip so far – my heart still flutters as if it’s the first time: Continue reading
(Updated) Gum Wall: Stuck on Seattle
We Seattleites obsessively recycle – almost everything, it seems. So why not gum? At Seattle’s Gum Wall in Post Alley next to Pike Place Market, I’ve never heard “Don’t touch!” yelled so much, like a looping soundtrack as parents pull their curious kids away from the 50-foot tall Gum Wall… Continue reading
Dog bones & relationships
Dog bones and Thanksgiving–what’s the connection? It’s the meatiness of solid relationships – not wispy, virtual ones – that are most satisfying… Continue reading
Aging / Diseases / Family / Health & ...
Divas & dads: dying to know…
My dad died a month ago today. Exactly one month ago this evening I sat at this computer cobbling together my global health web site, Global Health Lessons, background TV blaring a weepy funeral service for singer-diva Whitney Houston. Her death certificate blamed drowning, but the bigger blame was also Whitney’s deadly fondness for cocaine. … Continue reading
A lasting gift
My dad died suddenly a few weeks after all this happened. It turned out to be my last story for him, my last gift to him…. a lasting gift.
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Cancer competition
I like pink – don’t get me wrong. It’s the ubiquitous symbol of breast cancer awareness – but what about all those other forgotten cancers? Continue reading
