Hello, Minneapolis. Remember Me?
Tomorrow I fly out of my new hometown, Austin Texas, to my old hometown, Minneapolis. The annual AWP Conference for…
Author: Barbara J Gabriel
Heidi Beemer Wants to Go to Mars
If you grew up in the 1960s and ’70s, you are forgiven for thinking that we would all be living…
Finding Great Food While Traveling: Edinburgh Edition
Edinburgh appeared on our travel radar last summer just a few days before flying to Norway. One reason for the Norway…
Not My Grandmother’s First Rodeo
I figured out that my grandmother really loved me on a bitter winter’s afternoon in St. Paul, Minnesota when I…
A Broad-Ranging Local in Austin
I think I’m done whining about Austin’s winter weather. No one should whine about Austin’s winter weather when they know for…
Big Fat Problems
My dog Gracie has been complaining a lot lately. Like many people I know, she complains about the government, which…
Making Human Connections at Home and Away
Being a traveler can be isolating. Sure, you’re out there on the road, interacting with local people in fascinating places…
Who Says You Can’t Go Back? A Return Trip
“You eat the food here?” That was the question our guest asked. Tad was an American guy we met at…
Resolutions: Prison is Not the Life for Me
I am marvelous at making resolutions. Intentions, commitments, pledges, and aspirations are like the promised land to me. Rarely do I…
Christmas With the Family: Vodka and Variations
Christmas-celebrating families all have their ways of making merry. Those members of my family who still speak to each other…