Perpetual Break

I have a small humidor that always baffles me when it comes to keeping the humidity stable. I don’t have a huge stash of cigars. Humidors at cigar shops intimidate me too. Too many choices, and I have no idea about all the different sizes, but I love the way they smell. I can’t smoke…

A golf swing is like going to church. You gotta have faith that it’s going to work out. Then the demons creep in: “You’re going to screw this up.” Every YouTube video I have watched is screaming in my ears. Elbows in, tempo, rotate. Then it happens. I hit the shot like I imagined it.…

My daughter is coming to town tomorrow. I’m a little anxious. I’ve roasted chicken this way countless times. It’s been a while since I have seen her. Dana is going to vacuum till I go crazy. Adult kids judge. I don’t want to care, but I do. Am I afraid of my children? It seems…

Some years ago, my wife and I rescued a pit bull, Hank. Then there were two more. Now we had a pack of pit bulls. Our neighbors were terrified. Time went by, and so did our rescues. My youngest daughter moved home. She has a French bulldog. Bean. He becomes the center of the universe.…

I’m a hairstylist. I stand in front of a mirror all day. My uniform consists of a polo and chinos or jeans. Shoes are usually running shoes or athletic. They are ugly. Recently my partner decided we needed to spruce up. My workstation is spartan. There is nothing on the walls but the mirror and…

I’ve always lived here. I was asked if I’d ever thought about moving somewhere cooler. I had to clarify: culture or climate? Blue-collar families stay put. Get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids. Exactly what I did. Regret that plan? To a certain degree, yes. Having the awareness to imagine a different…

I saw my reflection in the plate-glass window walking into work. This morning when I got dressed, everything checked out. What the hell happened between home and work? How could I change that much? Those lying eyes of mine. My term insurance ran out a few months ago. You’ve got to get a physical. They…

Golf is hard. Playing in the Memphis heat and humidity makes it harder. Golf Digest teases me with a picture of a dune-swept landscape, a player in a quarter-zip sweater and a knit hat. What would make a man want to play golf when it feels like walking into Central Barbecue’s smoker? At least my…

It was around 1972 or 1973 when I first heard about a musical instrument store that not only had a cool selection of albums, but also something I’d never really seen or heard before-stereo systems made up of separate components. Up until then, like the vast majority of homes at that time, we listened to…

Golf, for me, is more than just a game-it’s an obsession. If you’re into it like I am, it’s not unusual to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about whatever swing issue you’re trying to fix. Want to escape a problem that’s been weighing on your mind? Just replace it with another…