Below is everything (newest at top) with "life OR travel OR usa OR blog" in its title or subcategories. For a strict listing (matching all categories and subcats), click here

NERDY STUFF, TRAILER HITCHES AND SMALL TOWN MAYORS
from 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / family )

It's been an interesting past several days. 1) My new 2-terabyte external drive went bad after I'd moved all of my music, pictures and videos to it from other drives; 2) Tara needed my help printing a PDF document, which is always exciting; 3) she also needed help at her mother's house to clean out/organize the garage; and 4... read more

OLD POSTS, REVISITED
from 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / travel )

FYI, I've been taking travel posts from this site, cleaning them up/updating them as needed, and posting them at williamarthurholmes.substack.comwilliamarthurholmes.substack.com. ... read more

OUR 25TH YEAR
from 2024 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

Can you believe we've been whois.com/whois/friendnews.comonline since 1999 !?!? Even more unbelievable, we STILL have almost no audience! Truly amazing. Shouting into the void for a quarter century. Quite impressive, no? Anyone reading this can honestly say they're special! Please leave a co... read more

ANOTHER NIGHT WALKING THE DOG
from 2023 in ( culture / humor / blog / animals )

It was just another night out walking our Boston terrier, Cleo. Or so I thought. I put my boots on instead of the usual sneakers because of the recent rain. I like to keep both pairs tied but loose enough to slip on. Still, I have to wedge them on, using my fingers as a shoehorn. I should probably just buy an actual shoehorn... or a targ... read more

DIARY: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023
from 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / chores )

Today started, as usual, with feeding /images/cleo-looking-out-window.webpCleo, our Boston terrier , and leaving the back door open. It was cool out but not too cold, and I prop the door open, weather permitting, so she can let herself out. With the back door and storm door being mostly glass, installing a pet doo... read more

BRAKES ARE IMPORTANT
from 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog )

I emailed this to my siblings, and the following conversation ensued... On Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 03:22:31 PM PST: Stumbled across this great old photo of our dog Stein attacking a strange man in the back yard of the Edison house Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 3:33 PM yes, my att... read more

DIARY, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2023
from 2023 in ( life / home-garden / blog / shopping )

Went to Home Depot today for one of those door-closer things for screen doors. I'd left ours propped open all night by accident, and the wind weakened its hinges. When I pushed to close it, a bracket snapped, and the door flew open instead of closing. I looked for a replacement at the Lowe's in Columbia after our regular Saturday morning... read more

THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF MOVING TO NASHVILLE
from 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / nashville )

/images/cities-nashville-reese-witherspoon.webp Tomorrow, August 26, will be my 30th anniversary of having moved from Los Angeles to Na... read more

VISITED A FAMILY MEMBER TODAY
from 2023 in ( culture / writing / blog / health )

I visited a struggling family member today. He still has trouble walking. Has to hold onto things as he goes. Trouble seeing, too. You never know what he can see or not see in front of him. At least he was much less scary/out-of-it today. His ex-wife later told me the doctors had changed his meds, which helped tremendously. For those who don&... read more

FIRST DOCTOR'S VISIT IN YEARS
from 2022 in ( culture / writing / blog / health )

Yesterday, I had my first doctor's appointment in several years. Hey, I've been healthy. Shocking, I know.There was a sign on the outside door saying masks required, and a sign on the interior door saying the same thing. The receptionist was wearing a mask. I introduced myself. She asked if I needed a mask. I said sure, she gave me on... read more

NO ANNOYING PROMPTS
from 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

Aren't you glad we don't have any of those annoying pop-up ads asking you to join our newsletter? Ironic, isn't it, given that we are an online newsletter?Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of williamarthurholmes.com/my novels/novellas ; buy ... read more

MOST POPULAR SITE ON THE INTERNET
from 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

This is the 12,157,539th most popular website in the world, according to nibbler.silktide.com/silktide.com ! Wow! We have hit the big time. See image here: /images/friendsnews-nibbler-report.webp... read more

SUPPORT THIS SITE
from 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

...should you be so inclined:Buy one of amazon.com/William-holmes/e/B00AOR8Y7U/my books at Amazon or smashwords.com/profile/view/holmes3804... read more

HOW TO SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE
from 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of williamarthurholmes.com/my novels/novellas ; buy me a (virtual) cup of coffee ko-fi.com/holmeswahere or buymeacoffee.com/holmeswahere ; ... read more

HISTORY OF FRIENDSNEWS.COM
from 2019 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

FYI for those researching insignificant corners of the web: web.archive.org/web/20060902062742/friendsnews.com/Wayback Machine Please support this website, should you be so inclined: buy one of williamarthurholmes.com/my novels/novellas ; b... read more

GUEST POSTING
from 2013 in ( culture / writing / blog / friendsnews )

I've been following and listening to Jeff Goins's goinswriter.comTribeWriters program, and he says an important aspect to successful blogging (at least as far as getting noticed) is to guest post on other people's blogs. Jeff is a great resource, by the way. So, if you want to post somethin... read more

BLOG CONTENT
from 2013 in ( culture / writing / blog / internet )

I'm as guilty as anyone about trying to add content to my blog just for the sake of content (because search engines look for and rate highly based on how fresh your blog's content is). But someone whose blog/newsletter I subscribe to has stooped to simply stating the obvious, maybe phrasing it differently, just to have an interesting... read more

FOOLING THEMSELVES
from 2012 in ( culture / writing / blog / politics )

The elites are adept at fooling themselves and others into thinking they know best. The superiority they bestow upon themselves is a convenient justification for keeping us commoners in the dark, and themselves in power.... read more

FALL IS DEFINITELY HERE
from 2010 in ( life / health / environment / blog )

It was actually cold all day today, but that didn't stop me and Elizabeth, then the pugs, from spending half of our day outside! First, we went exploring the new neighborhood being built nearby. I don't know why they're building. There's plenty of existing houses that no one wants to buy. Whatever. At least they've created lo... read more

DIARY, 7/25/2010
from 2010 in ( life / money / blog / shopping )

Just got back from an all day shopping excursion. I don't know how Tara does it every week. I told her that was harder work than going to the office all day. She said, So, you appreciate me more now? Of course, I said yes. First we went to Tara's Kroger, the one almost in Nolensville city limits, for bread and something else while... read more

THAWING OUT
from 2010 in ( culture / writing / blog / weather )

Hopefully. It snowed a good 5-6 inches Friday in and around Nashville. It wasn't good snowman/snowball snow, though. Not in our neighborhood, anyway. It was too crusty because of the freezing rain that came after. It made for great sledding, though, which Elizabeth and I spent several hours doing over the past few days. The pugs hate the ... read more

TRAVEL PAGE
from 2008 in ( life / travel / blog )

convertit.com/Go/ConvertIt/Currency converter Posted on 23 Feb 2008A Flight Attendant's reportby a flight attendantOn the morning of Tuesday, September 11, we were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt, flying over the North Atlantic. All of a sudden the curtains parted... read more

VISITING FAMILY IN GUATEMALA
from 2005 in ( life / travel / americas / blog )

We visited Evelyn's family in Guatemala, hence the title of the post :) and ate like the pigs that we are. Bijou had fun. I guess the highlight was going to the cemetery. Believe it or not, it was really Gothic, colorful, historical and very interesting, in general.We didn't have much time for sightseeing this time (only 4 days), bu... read more

TRIP TO ROANOKE
from 2005 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

I'm home after a long trip to Roanoke, VA and back. It was quite an experience overall. The 1-3/4 hour drive to SMF was punctuated by the puppy screaming and howling in the crate behind me in the van. She messed the newspapers once and I stopped and changed them. Once I got to the airport, I put her into the carry-on targetbla... read more

CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH
from 2000 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

Charleston, SCWe drove ... and drove ... and drove -- 10 hours or so- from visitmusiccity.com/Nashville until finally reaching Charleston, South Carolina. Along the way, we stopped in Asheville, North Carolina at the Biltmore Estate because Tara had forgotten to get postcards when we were there... read more

NEW ORLEANS
from 2000 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

We flew into New Orleans about noon time on a Friday. Since the room wasn't ready for such an early arrival, we walked four blocks to the pier and decided to ride the paddle wheel boat Natchez. It basically goes a mile up the Mississippi, then heads back. You'll see a lot of other international cargo ships, and the h... read more

ST. LOUIS TRIP
from 1999 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

Tara and I made a quick trip (if you can call a five-hour road trip quick) to St. Louis over the Labor Day weekend. We visited their historic Old Town district along the river where they were hosting the Big Muddy Blues & Roots Festival. That was just good timing on our part. We had not originally intended to see it, but since it was free we hun... read more

QUICK TRIP TO CHICAGO
from 1999 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

/images/bill-tara-98.webpTara and I left Nashville for Chicago on a Thursday morning. At the last minute I decided to let my cat Myca out. I figured he would return shortly after doing his business in the neighbor's bushes, as usual, and I could then lock him in the house for the duration of our trip. When he... read more

ATLANTA TRIP
from 1999 in ( life / travel / usa / blog )

Tara and I just got back from a long weekend in Atlanta. It was nice to see the town. I'd passed through before but never stopped to look. The first touristy thing we did after finding our hotel -- the downtown courtyard.marriott.com/Courtyard-by-Marriott , which was much better than the targetblan... read more

PORTUGAL TO HUNGARY
from 1998 in ( life / travel / europe / blog )

How I Spent My Summer Vacations () from 1992Portugal/AzoresOn Sunday, July 12th, I woke up... but while getting ready for the flight to Portugal the next morning, I never went back to sleep. In Lisboa, my 2nd cousin and her husband Antonio Melo met me at the airport. They served as chauffeurs, tour guides a... read more

TRIP TO EUROPE (1996)
from 1996 in ( life / travel / europe / blog )

Jump straight to vimeo.com/3271045the video, here , if you want. I was in Bratislava, Slovakia for Doug and Jana's wedding, but this doesn't include the wedding itself. That was filmed by a professional. This video is so badly done it's almost funny. There's also some footage from... read more

EUROPE VIDEO (1996)
from 1996 in ( life / travel / europe / blog )

You can watch it here: vimeo.com/3271045vimeo.com/Europe '96 I was in Bratislava, Slovakia for Doug and Jana's wedding, but this doesn't include the wedding itself. That was filmed by a profe... read more

EASTERN CANADA
from 1989 in ( life / travel / canada / blog )

Roving reporter returns from nameEast East (September, 1989) -- Bill returned from his trip to eastern Canada a few weeks back. He was supposed to seek out and capture Wild Man Doug. Remember? Well, he's back. Bill, that is. When asked to report his findings, however, Bill said, What? You never said anything about findi... read more

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