Author Archives: nowandthenadays

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About nowandthenadays

Observer of life who writes about Austin, women's issues, history, and politics. I worked in the Texas Legislature for 9 years, moved to the State Comptroller's Office where I worked for 9 years, then went to work as an Assistant Attorney General after graduating from UT Law, for more than 20 years. Since retirement in May, 2013, I've identified myself as a writer, a caretaker, widow, grandmother, pandemic survivor, and finder of true love.

Sticks, Stones, and Shirley Sherrod

Posted on July 25, 2010 by nowandthenadays

Long, long ago, grown-ups taught me to respond to schoolyard taunts with a dignified “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”  It was reasonably effective because even if the offender responded by escalating the … Continue reading →

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Keep Those Cards and Letters Coming!

Posted on July 19, 2010 by nowandthenadays

In case you noticed my absence, I escaped on vacation last week and didn’t have an entry to post before leaving.  Fortunately, I’ve been saving some comments from readers that I’ve been wanting to share with others  and now is … Continue reading →

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Keepin’ Up My Coolness Cred

Posted on July 5, 2010 by nowandthenadays

The truth is that for many years I’ve felt my “coolness” factor dwindling in the music department.  I can’t distinguish between Pearl Jam and Oasis most of the time, and I can’t tell you the name of a single song … Continue reading →

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Too Late for the “Austin Worth Keeping” Festival

Posted on June 28, 2010 by nowandthenadays

Thanks to the H.E.B. grocery chain, the “Keep Austin Weird Fest” had its 8th annual go-round.  Viewing photos of people (I think) arrayed in various versions of weirdness, I began reflecting on Austin’s claim as a home of the weird. … Continue reading →

Posted in Old/New Austin | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Take Me to Your (Sucky) Leader!!!

Posted on June 21, 2010 by nowandthenadays

Call me hyper-critical, but when Barack Obama was elected to the presidency, I admit to being pleased that we once again had a leader who spoke in complete sentences with proper syntax, grammar, and all the bells and whistles of … Continue reading →

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Grand Finales

Posted on June 15, 2010 by nowandthenadays

Since I recently mentioned sending the Sports section to the recycle bin as soon as I unfurl the newspaper, many of you are probably dying to know, if not Sports, then what?  At the risk of sounding morbid, I admit … Continue reading →

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Lessons in Rainbows

Posted on June 7, 2010 by nowandthenadays

This weekend, Austin hosted a variety of events to mark the Pride movement, sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community.  This reminded me of my own rainbow education that began – not here in Austin, as one would … Continue reading →

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End Me Your Ear

Posted on June 1, 2010 by nowandthenadays

This just in …. I have two nominations for the JEESH (Jeffee’s Excellent English Spoken Here) Award.  As you will remember, no nominations will be accepted for someone who uses the word “absolutely” in lieu of the single syllable “yes.”  … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bury My Heart in Austin

Posted on May 27, 2010 by nowandthenadays

I have traveled far to visit historic sites recommended by one of the two Fs (Fodor’s or Frommer’s) or listed in 1,000 Places to See Before I Die, marveling at walls, both great (China) and imprisoning (Alcatraz), canals, towers, gardens, … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Old/New Austin | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

We are not Sucking Aliens

Posted on May 16, 2010 by nowandthenadays

The Statesman this week reported that Speaker Straus had suggested some unsavory solutions to reducing  the state budget shortfall.  Two of the unsavory solutions (at least to me) include unpaid work furloughs and four-day work weeks for state employees.   Personally, … Continue reading →

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