I didn’t know when to cash out — “Red Sevens! Red Sevens!! Come on, Red Sevens,” I shouted while holding my hand against the screen of the Blazin Sevens slot machine. “Ooh, too bad,” I said as the only thing on the center line were one seven and a few cherries. No payout on that. I took another…

She can’t stand stuff — There’s plenty of space for the menacing figures of my mother’s hallucinations. Her living room is filled with shadows and little else. Don’t assume she recently went on a death-cleaning spree and got rid of everything to make it easier for those she leaves behind. No, she’s been death-cleaning for…

On the top ten list of embarrassing moments — The movers were almost finished putting all my belongings in their truck — all that was left were the box springs and bed frame. I was in the room with them packing up various bits and pieces when the movers flipped up the box springs to reveal a rather large…

We’re witnesses of our lives — Recently, I learned that one of the things you can do to overcome self-directed ageism is to have friends of all different ages. Multi-generational friendships give you perspective and help keep you rooted in the present. While this makes sense to me, I have to admit, there’s something about old…

He seemed safe, but I was wrong — C.W. Abuse/grooming I’m wearing an old silk robe of my mother’s that I grabbed from the charity bag, and I’ve arranged it provocatively on my body. I pose in front of the mirror nailed to my closet door and refer back to the Oui magazine I’m using as a guide. …

A super-long life has lost its appeal — She’s withdrawing from her life — that’s how the social worker worded it. Her watered-down whiskey, her pets, and her luscious lemon desserts no longer spark any interest. “We’ve been down this road before, but with her rapid decline and her withdrawal from life, your mother is likely dying,” the…

I needed help with my grief — As a lifelong cat lover, I’ve had my share of cat deaths. Some have been peaceful, and others involved much suffering and pain. All made me sad, but none of them broke me the way my cat Yoshi’s death did. Yoshi was almost 19 years old when he died, and…

My friends were much hotter than me — In junior high, I liked to go skating. I wasn’t the best skater; I couldn’t shoot the duck or anything but I was a surprisingly good skateboarder and had excellent balance. I could get around the rink without making a huge fool of myself — which was one of my…

Friends can break your heart — Pilar and I have just finished our 8-mile jog around the neighborhood. Without showering, armed with carob and water, we plop ourselves down on oversized pillows in front of the T.V. to watch Charlie’s Angels. Carob, because we think it’s healthier than regular chocolate, and Charlie’s Angels because we think…