Author Archives: sputterpub

Queen of the Dog Park

Posted on November 23, 2010 by sputterpub

     When I was 41 I took on my last dog. I’d already loved Becky-the-beagle and Ajax and Jack and Ajax again (he lived long and with most of us), but Shelby was the first companion I acquired on my … Continue reading →

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Skipping

Posted on November 22, 2010 by sputterpub

When I was 9 years old I skipped a grade. Which one, I’m always asked, and I don’t have a one-syllable answer. Part of third and part of fourth was the fact of the matter. Skipping a grade was then … Continue reading →

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Dorm

Posted on November 19, 2010 by sputterpub

   When I was 17 I came to Cal. My parents wouldn’t allow me to room with my best friend Ellen, owing to some escapades mentioned in Autodidacts (August 19). I selected the dormitory building closest to the campus and the … Continue reading →

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Duck Box

Posted on November 18, 2010 by sputterpub

   When I was 23 I fell in love with a brass-chased pewter box at Gump’s. It was made in the shape of a duck, it came in two or three sizes, and the perfect one sold for about $20. It … Continue reading →

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Life in Las Rever

Posted on November 17, 2010 by sputterpub

   When I was around 10, I started mirror writing. I think my father first mentioned it to me; later I learned about Leonardo. I found it rather easy to write backwards in cursive. It got to where I could do … Continue reading →

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Insomnia

Posted on November 16, 2010 by sputterpub

     When I was 11 or 12, I had a little bout of insomnia. It was autumn, the beginning of either 7th or 8th grade, and for a few nights I couldn’t fall asleep. Nowadays that might have a different … Continue reading →

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Milling Spilk

Posted on November 15, 2010 by sputterpub

When I was around 40, I collaborated with Katie to create a shaggy dog story. We’d been chuckling about the genre, kind of collecting them. I think our favorite was the tale that ends with the line “people who live … Continue reading →

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A Little Break

Posted on October 28, 2010 by sputterpub

I’m about to take a couple of weeks off. I’ll be acquiring impressions to later process and perhaps understand. Fun. But before I go I want to make a comment about symbols. In general I don’t like or trust them. … Continue reading →

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Science Fair

Posted on October 27, 2010 by sputterpub

When I was 13 I won a ribbon at the school science fair and moved on to the county competition. I have a few snapshot memories about the exhibits, but most of what I learned I got from my own … Continue reading →

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Rue

Posted on October 26, 2010 by sputterpub

     When I was 47 I joined my parents and brothers for an emotional pilgrimage. Our folks were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and they took us to their favorite city. So there we landed, seven of us in Paris. … Continue reading →

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