Amazing but true, folks: I’m taking a quick pre-surgery trip to San Diego and I’m happy to report I – and my ever-expanding belly bubble – made it through airport security without being “examined!” And a big hooray for that!

OK, I took precautions: a baggy t-shirt covered by a ratty jacket, strict Victorian-standard corseting, and of course the trick all men of a certain belly size use to impress others with their physique, a serious sucking in of the gut.

Maybe none of it mattered, maybe it was just that the crowd pining to get to the Other Side was large and the TSA agents wanted to get  rid of us. Whatever, it was nice not to have to go through the “what is that? Ewwww… pull DOWN the shirt sir!” routine again.

Now, to the beach! (Shirt on, of course.)

Funny thing about confidence: you don’t really know you’ve lost it until you start getting it back. Without an inner voice constantly whispering a “you can do it” nag, a hypercautious agony aunt takes over and plunges you into a fog of jitters. Auntie has excuses for everything. “No, no, no!” she hisses. “Be careful!” “Oh, you really shouldn’t go out tonight. You’re not quite recovered you know!” “Of course you shouldn’t feel guilty about not taking that bike ride! Look at what you’ve been through!” Eventually this irritating scold owns you so completely you cringe at the risks involved with everything. “Be careful of that tea now, it’s hot!” “Don’t trip on that step!”

Unless you had the misfortune to be raised wary (or had a very difficult childhood, the same thing), auntie’s isn’t the default human condition. Continue Reading »

I know, I know… Post anything about religion or politics and I’m likely to lose half of my 50 or so readers. Oh, well. Life’s tough, it’s getting tougher for everybody, and I’m heading into surgery again (more tomorrow), so what the hell? I need a diversion. Read or not, your choice. There’ll likely be something political here sooner or later, then I’ll lose the other half of you. Que sera sera, as Doris used to sing.

Dear God, Can We Talk?

Actually, can I talk and you just listen? I know it’s not your usual M.O. – truth is, that’s what I want to chat about, all this talking you’re doing – so maybe you could just channel your Good-Cop side and grant an indulgence?

… … ??? …

Continue Reading »