The Old Lone Ranger

As Goes Chile, So Goes the World

By Rich Marin | September 7, 2022September 5, 2022 by Rich Marin

As Goes Chile, So Goes the World NOTE: The referendum mentioned below was REJECTED by 62% vote, so this traditionally conservative country will remain more conservative than the current administration thought it could achieve. What I admire about the democratic process seems to be in place as the leftist president said the following, ““Chileans’ decision demands our institutions and political leaders to work harder, with more dialogue, respect and care, until we reach a proposal…

Labor Day Labors

By Rich Marin | September 6, 2022 by Rich Marin

Labor Day Labors We all carry our own burdens, whether we want to or not. One of mine appears to be that I think too much. Please don’t shut down and assume that I am being arrogant and suggesting that I am smarter than other people, because I am not. I know my IQ and have for many years and I know I have a modicum of intelligence, but that many of you out there…

Politics

The Changing Tide

By Rich Marin | September 5, 2022September 3, 2022 by Rich Marin

The Changing Tide Based on yesterday’s story that mentioned sea kayaking, you are probably thinking that I went against my better instincts and tried sea kayaking and got swept out to sea on the tide. Not even remotely likely. The tide that is changing is the tide of my heart and mind. For six years or so, not so accidentally coinciding with the arrival of Donald J. Trump on the political landscape, I have taken…

Love

The Great Outdoors

By Rich Marin | September 4, 2022September 3, 2022 by Rich Marin

The Great Outdoors This morning I am sitting at the top of Palomar Mountain at a wooden picnic table in the shade of a massive (8-10 foot diameter trunk) spreading California cedar tree that is purported to be 400 years old. Actually, that tree is off to the side and cordoned off and I’m sitting in a picnic area that is situated between three of its brothers who are probably no more than 350 years…

Memoir

A Failure to Communicate

By Rich Marin | September 3, 2022 by Rich Marin

A Failure to Communicate We all know the line from Cool Hand Luke when the warden or the southern chain gang colony, Strother Martin says in his slow and deliberate southern drawl to Paul Newman (Luke), George Kennedy (Dragline) and the rest of the inmates (which include such future cinematic greats as Dennis Hooper and Ralph Waite), “You see, what we have here is a failure to communicate…”. The emphasis is placed on the word…

Fiction/Humor Retirement

Moonshot

By Rich Marin | September 2, 2022August 30, 2022 by Rich Marin

Moonshot In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I am quite fixated when it comes to moon themes around this hilltop. It all springs from my favorite movie, Moonstruck, which suited me as a name for this house those ten plus years ago when we bought it. I have never looked back since and the moon hits just keep on coming. I looked up the word moon in reference to the 1,437 stories I…

Fiction/Humor

It’s a Dutch Door Life

By Rich Marin | September 1, 2022 by Rich Marin

It’s a Dutch Door Life I just saw a piece from the Atlantic that caught my eye. It is called The HGTV-ification of America and it’s opening salvo is “You can’t escape gray floors”. As I read that, I looked down at the gray luxury vinyl floors under my feet in our office. We had originally put in two shades of gray (not quite the fifty that pop culture demanded) when we renovated our kitchen…

Fiction/Humor Memoir Politics

My Wannabe Socialist Friends?

By Rich Marin | August 31, 2022August 30, 2022 by Rich Marin

My Wannabe Socialist Friends? Twenty-seven years ago I started a motorcycle club with a few pals. I had gone on a solo motorcycle walkabout through the canyons of Southern Utah in 1994 when I turned 40 and had been inspired to make that an annual ritual. The first year I could only get one guy to go with me. He was a lawyer and a bit of a henpecked husband (his wife didn’t like him…

Business Advice Memoir

The Last Straw

By Rich Marin | August 30, 2022August 27, 2022 by Rich Marin

The Last Straw Not so long ago I wrote about my travails with AT&T and Verizon and the extremely annoying process of trying to cancel services I do not use and have not used for a while. I termed it a death throw for these telecom behemoths when they must resort to unscrupulous tactics to try to drain the last few drops out of the cow they have been milking dry. I thought that was…

Memoir

Rounders

By Rich Marin | August 29, 2022August 28, 2022 by Rich Marin

Rounders If you haven’t seen the movie, Rounders, and you enjoy an occasional game of poker with friends, you really must find a way to see the movie. It was made in 1998, so it has more or less modern production value and yet its got the patina of age that makes it a classic. There are other great poker movies like Molly’s Game, The Cincinnati Kid, and Maverick, but almost everyone agrees that Rounders…

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