Mickey under the fig tree

We just finished burying Mickey's ashes under our fig tree. I'm glad we've come full circle. It's been nearly three weeks since we lost him and I couldn't possibly go another week without finishing things. Mickey loved the fig tree. Well, he loved the figs. During the summer and early fall, he became obsessed with … Continue reading Mickey under the fig tree →

Losing a dog

We lost Mickey on Tuesday. After a torturous decision, we decided it was the right thing to do and we put him down. Losing a dog like Mickey is one of the hardest, most emotional things that I have ever experienced. His pancreatitis came back with a vengeance and last Monday morning he began to … Continue reading Losing a dog →

Sick dog, happy parents

Mickey got sick. We always said that if he ever refused food, we've got a problem. So, one Saturday, after a morning of not eating, we whisked him off to our neighborhood vet, Oakland Veterinary Hospital. They couldn't find anything overtly wrong with him, but based on his symptoms, put him on antibiotics and took … Continue reading Sick dog, happy parents →

Thank you, Gavin Newsom

My brother exited the mayor's office and the first words out of his mouth were, "He's a good-looking guy." Yes, my brother has a man-crush on Gavin Newsom. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the mayor just married me and Shelly, my partner of 17 years. Rather than … Continue reading Thank you, Gavin Newsom →

The history of marriage

Fourteen years ago – March 1, 1995 – on Ke'e Beach in Kauai, Shelly and I got married ... for the first time. On June 25 of that year we had a party to celebrate that momentous occasion. We had about 60 friends and family at our house and it was 105 degrees in our … Continue reading The history of marriage →