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A round of a’paws
Dogs are among the most socially connected animals we interact with on a daily basis. Their behavior reflects the deep bond they form with us, particularly when it comes to moments of separation. Yesterday, in the midst of a game of Rummikub during our “Games with Chuck” activity in which I finally beat Betsy at…
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March
March is the only month that feels like it’s arguing with itself. One day it is inspired by Mars – bold, blustery, and ready for battle. The next day it remembers it’s technically almost spring and shows up with sunshine and birds chirping like they’re auditioning for a woodland musical. You wake up, see golden…
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Why February Has Only 28 Days
At its simplest, most basic level, a calendar is a way to organize time. Now, we could take that statement and go “deep,” having a philosophical discussion of the concept of time itself. However, after last night’s cavalcade of mirth and misinformation known as the State of the Union, my inclination this morning is to…
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What is the magic of Christmas?
Whether you are Christian, and particularly if you are not, the Christmas season is hard to miss. It generally runs from late November thru to early January. Ostensibly, it recalls and celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the town of Bethlehem, thought by his followers to be the long-awaited messiah or savior, prophesied…
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Wheelchair Invisibility
I arrived at the furniture store around 11:45 last Sunday morning. I am in the market for a new recliner. A recliner is not just something in which to relax while watching the television for me – it is as essential to my life as breath itself. I can’t walk. I can’t stand up without…
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Family
Back in my 30s I dated a guy named Jojo. He was a Filipino (or Pinoy as they call themselves) from the Philippines who had come to America on a student visa for college, and when he graduated applied for a green card and stayed. As a gay man (and a handsome one at that),…
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Lorem ipsum
I began my senior year at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, CA, as the editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook. Being more of a writer, and yearbooks being more visual (pictures and all), I had wanted to be on the school newspaper, which had a very clever name. Our sporting teams were called…
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Breakthrough
There are two fronts in the global fright against HIV and AIDS. Obviously, treating those infected is one. But equally important is preventing new infections. Since the early part of the last decade we have had the “preventative” drug regimen known as PrEP or “pre-exposure prophylaxis.” PrEP refers to medication used by an HIV-negative person…
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And the winner is…
I come from Glendale, in California, not to be confused with the city of the same name found in the neighboring state of Arizona. If people ask me where I’m from, though, I invariably say Los Angeles, of which Glendale is a suburb – a big one, big enough to have its own power generating…
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Going the way of the dodo
I remember when we got our first microwave when I was growing up in the 70s. Whenever you weren’t using it, you were supposed to place a cup of water inside. I think the rationale behind this was so the oven, if accidentally switched on, wouldn’t cook itself! A quick check of the Internet and…
Your mileage may vary.