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.

Of Burros, Barbarians, and Brain Snatchers

Posted on September 20, 2011 by nowandthenadays

In sleepy Austin, Texas, I came to consciousness during the “wonder years” world of the 50s and 60s, and like everyone around me, I was proud of my nationality, believing in the superiority of all things American.   My 21-year old … Continue reading →

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Pray Away the Altar of More Wealth for the Few

Posted on August 7, 2011 by nowandthenadays

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t get to participate much in the Day of Debauchery and Gluttony, the so-called day created on Facebook (and elsewhere, maybe?) as a reaction to Rick Perry’s Day of Prayer and Fasting.  But, I … Continue reading →

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Zelma for President!!!

Posted on July 21, 2011 by nowandthenadays

The woman known as Bicycle Annie has found her way to my pages of Austin memories on several occasions.  During the 50s, 60s, and 70s, she was a frequent sight along the Drag (the part of Guadalupe on the western … Continue reading →

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The Trouble with Men is . . .

Posted on June 30, 2011 by nowandthenadays

I am sure glad the  latest “politician acting badly” (PAB) scandal has gone by the wayside.  I don’t think I could handle any more revelations concerning what lives under Mr. Weiner’s underwear and in his mind.  If I hadn’t been … Continue reading →

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Too Many Choices for an Austin Gal

Posted on June 5, 2011 by nowandthenadays

Younger readers will probably be horrified to learn that during my formative years in Austin, we had just one television station.   The sole source of television fare was provided by KTBC, which started broadcasting in 1952 and was owned by … Continue reading →

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All Children Left Behind

Posted on May 22, 2011 by nowandthenadays

Maybe I’m simplifying matters, but these days I see media overly preoccupied with stories about the guessing game of which Republican will run for president, a Frenchman who accosted an American maid, another philandering governor, and, to a lesser degree, … Continue reading →

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The Amazing Man who Stopped the Can

Posted on May 6, 2011 by nowandthenadays

Based on a friend’s high praise (from about 5 years ago), I finally knuckled down and immersed myself in the book, Team of Rivals, the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.  Within its 750 pages I discovered … Continue reading →

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Check that Authenticity at the Door, Ladies!

Posted on April 8, 2011 by nowandthenadays

As Michelle Obama traveled around Brazil with her husband last month, I thought she looked particularly glamorous and represented our country well.  During her few public speaking engagements, she exhibited her warm personal demeanor along with the intelligence she wears … Continue reading →

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Symphonies in the Key of Life

Posted on March 22, 2011 by nowandthenadays

As a friend fights on in the ICU at Seton Hospital, I’ve been thinking about our lives and how they get summed up in many ways when we were gone.  If you are a loyal reader, you might remember an … Continue reading →

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Plates of Food for the Poor American Children

Posted on March 10, 2011 by nowandthenadays

No doubt, many of you of my generation will remember parents instructing us to eat all the food on our plates, motivating us into this act of “cleaning our plates” with major guilt trips.  Specifically, they’d appeal to overseas guilt: … Continue reading →

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