I’m a dreamer at heart, proudly born and raised in San Francisco—a city that covers just 49 square miles but was heaven on earth for me. Every corner of The City (as we natives affectionately call it) has been a part of my life. No area ever felt too distant. With wide eyes and an open heart, I’ve always welcomed the world around me. I find joy in creativity, wonder, and discovering new possibilities—whether that’s through international work adventures or dreaming up the next exciting idea. Even though San Francisco was my hometown, my passport has taken me to many amazing places and introduced me to wonderful people, shaping me in countless ways. I carry pieces of these experiences and friendships with me wherever I go. Above all, I treasure my family, friends, and those small, meaningful moments that keep my spirit alive and thriving. I never want my curiosity to fade away.
One of my daughters gave me a new digital photo frame. I absolutely love it. It displays around 17,500 photos from around the world. It updates automatically, so I always have the latest memories at a glance. My frame sits on a desk near my workspace, making it easy to enjoy the images without moving. It’s like having a continuous, colorful story of my life unfolding 24/7.
The collection includes people, places, flowers, sunshine, beaches, celebrations, and even more meaningful moments, such as funerals, snow, cathedrals, street signs, and reminders that our memories are just seconds away. Watching the images appear and then fade into the next random one is simply magical. Since I’ve taken nearly every single photo, I can instantly recall where each one was taken and what was happening at that moment. What an excellent way to travel without leaving home.
Last evening, I happened to see an old run of the Lone Ranger and Tonto in action, saving everyone from their problems without lifting a good-guy finger. It’s hard to believe that most boys in my neighborhood (including me) watched every episode. It was about 1949 or so when that dynamic duo hit the scene.
Even putting aside the ridiculousness of the mask and, above all, Tonto’s absurd role, the filming was primitive, at best. What’s even worse is the dialogue of every single actor. I remember hounding my mom to buy me a full Lone Ranger outfit. She, being very prudent, declined. As I reflect on her decision, I have a mind’s eye image of how totally stupid I would have looked walking down Vallejo Street in San Francisco, looking for bad guys around every corner.
I read an article today that announced, “Paper checks are dead.” I am here to tell you that I regularly write and send paper checks, and I have no plans to discontinue this lifelong habit. In doing so, I am clearly swimming against the tide. The article said that 57% of Americans haven’t written a check in over a month.
The good news is that three-quarters of Americans aged 65 and older still use checks. A few days ago, I watched a woman write a check for a small purchase painstakingly at a local supermarket. The cashier patiently waited for her to write out the details, smiling. I’ve found that it’s pretty tricky to obtain checks when you run out. Fortunately (and for how long, I don’t know), I can purchase them online from Costco. I hope the check order doesn’t disappear like their Polish Hot Dog.
In school, I loved reading about history and social studies.I grew up in California, so much of what I read about the Civil War made me think that this was a conflict far away from where I lived. I didn’t really understand the significance of the events and the eventual outcome.I’ve lived in the South for many years now, and as you might imagine, I have a vastly different view of the events that many people here still refer to as the “War of Northern Aggression.”
I’ve visited several battlefields like Gettysburg (where this photo of Lincoln greets visitors), Appomattox, Chickamauga, Manassas, and others. Each visit to these locations brings the Civil War to life for me. Suddenly, it isn’t represented by a page in a school history book, but rather where tens of thousands of people just like me died for a cause they really believed in. I stood on the very land they all fought for.
Living in the State of Tennessee as I do, I have learned some fascinating facts about what happened here during the Civil War. While Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union to become a part of the Confederacy, it was also the first Confederate State to be readmitted to the Union in 1866. Before Tennessee’s secession from the Union, people in Scott County (about 60 miles from where I live) voted to secede from the state. They formed the “Free and Independent State of Scott,” which lasted until the end of the conflict.Now that took guts, and I didn’t even know it happened.
The number one rule in travel is not to look like a tourist. Every self-assured traveler like myself wants to hit the ground in a new place looking like a lifelong resident of the very same city and be an expert in their local scene. This is an impressive goal, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Using taxis overseas is a lesson in small business management. Each person plays a different role; the driver, of course, and you as a passenger. They want to charge as much as possible for the limited time you’ll be in their cab, and I want to appear nonchalant and informed about the ride and costs.
Some time ago, I went to the Costa del Sol in Spain. The arrival airport was Malaga, Spain, and we were to make our own way to the conference. I was ok with that and headed to the taxi stand at the airport. I looked around and didn’t see anyone from our group, and I presumed they’d all taken taxis to the hotel in the Costa del Sol.I flagged down a cab and threw my stuff into the trunk. In my most knowledgeable travel voice, I sat back and announced I wanted to go from Malaga to the Costa del Sol. The driver was suddenly beside himself. Without another word, he blasted out of the airport, and we began a really, really long ride to the hotel.
Being the informed traveler that I am, I didn’t say anything. I was watching his taxi meter climb like a blood pressure test and wondering where in the heck I was? Fast forward, literally. After many, many miles, he pulled into the hotel. He was thrilled to present me with a taxi fare bill of some $100+- the cost of our journey. I was stupefied. However, I didn’t ask about the trip cost beforehand or inquire at the airport about alternative transfer services, which nearly all other delegates to the trip took advantage of.So, the moral of this story is don’t be a know-it-all. Especially when you don’t really know anything about the new country anyway.
Out of the blue, I heard from a long-time, dear friend today. We’ve been friends for nearly 50 years, living in different places, letting time pass. It’s been some time since we were in touch; however, today, in a nanosecond, we were back in touch. How fantastic.
Over the years, we have shared some hilarious times; we’re both in the travel business, so we have had ample opportunity and material to draw from. We’ll be on a call together very soon. It’s wonderful when a friend shines a bright light into another’s life, bringing back memories and shared experiences. I’m really looking forward to that.
My mom loved the weekly Lawrence Welk shows; she never missed an episode. We had a Motorola television set (black-and-white, of course). When it was time for the show, my mom would quiet everyone, and we’d dive into the music and entertainment. A show like his wouldn’t have a chance in today’s media market; however, at the time, he (and the show) were among the most popular ever. How Lawrence Welk managed to go from leading the Honolulu Fruit Gum Orchestra to Champagne Music is beyond my imagination.
He was pretty strict with show members, however, he featured and introduced some of the most talented, professional, and famous musicians, ever. Even in the early days before the color broadcast, the performers radiated talent. As the show grew and improved, artists like The Lennon Sisters, Norma Zimmer, and Myron Cohen kept their train moving ahead and on time.
Around the time the program moved into color broadcasting, we bought a new television; now my mom was really happy. The show had the most incredible costumes; the dance numbers were spectacular, and the audience grew. Now, the show is one of PBS’s most-watched weekly programs. It’s possible to see wonderful performers like Ava Barber, Lynn Anderson, Bobby Burgess (from the Mickey Mouse Club), and the late Jo-Ann Castle. From time to time, PBS features one of the earlier shows, sponsored by Geritol; now that’s a name brand that will live on forever, just like the show itself.
Living in Hong Kong was incredible. We were there when Hong Kong was a British Crown Colony, one of the last gems of the British Empire, with the Union Jack proudly flying from every building and the Royal Navy prepared to meet any challenge.The British Crown Colony was well represented in the day (my downstairs neighbor at the time was Sir Ivo Rigby, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong). I miraculously became a Life Member of the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club (I still am, by the way). Amazing, even now.
We all had weekend activities and events to attend; however, one of my favorite things to do was to take the boat ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, which was then a Portuguese Colony. It was an overnight voyage up the Pearl River, and the two boats operating the service were “sister” ships, the Man Shan and the Fat Shan.If only they were still afloat.Traveling on either one was like being in a Sydney Greenstreet movie. Both vessels had overnight compartments, furnished with ancient wicker chairs and slatted windows. The distance between Hong Kong and Macau was about 40 miles, and the boat moved along at about 5 knots per hour. Just the right speed for an adventure.
When we finally docked in Macau, it was like we’d just arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, from some faraway place. Everywhere were signs in Portuguese; the hotels had Portuguese menus and tiny rooms. Around every corner, shops sold Portuguese food and, best of all, terrific Portuguese wine (way better than the Mateus we were gulping by the gallon).Who wouldn’t enjoy this?Here we were, 40 miles away from Hong Kong amid a tiny part of Portugal. It was a mini-vacation, and every time we steamed back down the river to Hong Kong, we looked forward to another river cruise back to Macau.You know, some things were better “then” than “now.”
Growing up in San Francisco was great. There was always something to do and see, and one of my favorite things was going downtown with my Mom. The cable car stopped around the corner from our flat, and we rode it to the end of the line, Powell and Market Streets. Where Market Street stood directly across was the Emporium, a huge department store that my Mom loved.
On nearly every visit, we saw an older man with a green pushcart in front of The Emporium’s main entrance, selling flowers, specifically gardenias. I’ve always been fascinated by that flower (the one in the image here is from a plant I’ve nurtured at home), and each time we’d see him, I’d hound my Mom for change to buy one for her.
How gallant of me, asking my Mom for money to give her a flower that she actually paid for herself. I don’t remember if the gardenias cost a dime or a quarter, but they were top-notch, complete with a beautiful green wrapper around the stem and a pin to attach the flower to your date, in this case, my Mom. She always admired it and thanked me for such a lovely present. I loved those days with her. Thanks, Mom, for everything.
Our United States Postal Service is in a jam, and we all need to help them.
I recently read (and should have remembered) that Benjamin Franklin was our first Postmaster; he was an innovator who revived the then-Colonial Postal Service to increase efficiency and profitability. We need you, Ben, right now.
Nearly every resident of the United States is involved with the USPS and with their carriers and station staff. People in small towns, large metro areas, every state, and U.S. territories depend on them. Military and government personnel around the world depend on the USPS to help move their mail. We all need their services.
The USPS and its precursor, the United States Post Office, were essential to my family and me. My dad worked for the Post Office for more than 40 years; he had many assignments and spent most of his time in their Parcel Post unit. Along with many other changes, they don’t have Parcel Post carriers, and they don’t even call it the Post Office.
I’ve been a life-long user of “real mail.” My respect for the USPS remains solid. Nearly everyone I know in business, family, and social circles is aware of (and has received) real mail from me. I prefer handwritten notes and actual postage stamps; each envelope I drop into a USPS mailbox is a personal message from me to another person.
Today, I read an article about the USPS financial dilemma: people using 1st-Class mail is way down, which creates a huge revenue problem for the organization. In my view, now, more than ever, people need to be in touch with family and friends. Buying and using a postage stamp to send a greeting is a super investment in our USPS. Just imagine this: if 1% of the Nation’s population started buying and using stamps to aid communications, the USPS might be out of its downward spiral. I’ll send a few notes out today, so count me in. I’m happy to help.
Are we there yet? 