When the Familiar Becomes Far Away Trivia; Marin Rental Prices Soar; Xmas Trees Expensive; Huge Fines Against Pacific Gas and Electric; Crime Comes to Marin in a Big Way; Safety, Law, And Order in the UAE; Conversation of the Faith with MUD; Photo of Slippers; Me, MUD and Flowers; Conversation with Young Man From Nepal

Made the decision to get the Marin Independent Journal online when leaving in mid November. I read it now with an increasing detachment. This feeling matches two definitions of detachment: the state of being objective…

Finally Some Humor Again; This Time From the Pen of Larry David as He Attempts to Augment His Life Stories for a Biographer; Then Off to My Favorite Topic. If I Went to Law School by Appel; Self-Imposed Isolation Continues; Tickle Your Funny Bone Defined and Explained; Photo From Self-Isolation; Dour Defined

Ok Ok Okay – things have gotten dour in this blog. So sorry! Dour is relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance. Tell me about it, you say! I have been reading this…

Back to the Boring Virus and the Pandemic: Extremely Heartening News From Canada and its Absolute Insistence on Vaccinations; Alberta and Saskatchewan Lag Behind Other Provinces; But Now a New Rather Alarming New Variant: Extensive and Scientific Reporting from The New Yorker with Links Provided; Another USA School Shooting; Affluence Defined

I have stopped writing about the virus because it is so boring and so ‘yesterday’s news. But there is actually some rather surprising data coming from several sources. This from a November 30, 2021 newsletter…

Being Mindful; Meeting Alexis at Breakfast; Many Texts to Grandson at Breakfast; A New Yorker Article Featuring Mel Brooks Brings Great Joy; A Russian and an American Fight, Laugh and Fist Bump; Being Mindful Defined and Explained; Cold Turkey Defined; Instagram Participation Has Disappeared; Tips on Being Mindful; Photos of Me; Coffee and Detoxification

I am trying to be mindful of my Western readers even as I sink further into the Middle East. Being mindful is a state of mind which should be practiced by all (including me) more…

I Am Convinced I Am In Paradise With Pictures to Prove It: Instagram Difficulties Making Me Re Examine Instagram Presence; Many Texts with Grandson; Laughing So Important in a Relationship; Story of Creation From Qur’an; Stand By Me From Pool With Lyrics; Picture of Me as a Muslim (again)

First of all Instagram. Texted Grandson today:Me: I cannot get on Instagram. Password problem. I think I am not supposed to be on it right now. It is strange. Seems Allah does not want me…

I Am An Anomaly; Defined and Illustrated; Being a Perfect Guest; Hit the Ground Running Defined and Illustrated; Burn the Candle at Both Ends; Two Different Grandsons; Lyrics to Easy Come, Easy Go: Antithesis Defined and Illustrated by Two Different Thanksgivings; Picture of My Thanksgiving Dinner and ‘New Guy Apparently

It suddenly struck – that I am an anomaly, it struck me without a great deal of joy. There is no doubt that I am something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected….