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Posts published by “Jim Gibbons”

‘He’s Not Heavy Father, He’s My Brother’

After digging out of the Big Snow of ’75 I checked in at the Mendocino County unemployment office in Ukiah because my six months of $31 a week had run out. I was asked about…

That Other Drought

The recent drought in Northern California made me think of the last one back in the mid-seventies when I was living about six miles up Sherwood Road on a friend’s 20-acre property without electricity or…

Water, Water Everywhere

Drought has a way of changing everything. The latest mandatory rationing in Brooktrails is 110 gallons a day per household. In Willits it’s 150

‘Teacher, You Have A Heart…”

My first day at Willits High School (1984-1985) was very interesting in a weird sort of way. I had no literature classes, just 8th, 9th and 10th grade basic English, meaning they were all at…

The Secret Belt

There I was up on stage with my four teammates in front of the entire student body being praised by my coach for qualifying to compete in the Wisconsin State High School Wrestling Championships held…

A Teacher’s Memoir: Alotta Lipski

It was my very first sixth-grade faculty meeting at Little Lake Valley Middle School. There were just four of us, all men, but we were waiting for one more teacher before we could proceed. That…

My Favorite Second Place: Boonville 1999

It was just me and my son Riley leading the 17th Annual Boontling Classic 5K runners west on Ander­son Valley Way to the turnaround. As we hit the mile in 5:36, I said “Just like…

Brian Murphy Takes A Hike

Two years ago last December I was hanging out in my Waikiki condo watching the evening news when the top story was about a hiker lost on Mauna Kea. Michigan resident Brian Murphy, age 67,…

My Favorite Loss

It was just me and my son Riley leading the 17th Annual Boontling Classic 5K runners west on Anderson Valley Way to the turnaround. As we hit the mile in 5:36, I said, “Just like…

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