September 2026

Coping with Uncertainty…

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The President puffed out his chest and banned several news networks from attending White House briefings. In response to free speech proponents, Mr. Trump claimed he was protecting the public from fake news. 

This was one of those cases of “be careful what you wish for.” Apparently, the president didn’t stop to consider the power the press held or that they didn’t have to just take his latest attack sitting down. They did not. The different networks united and refused to provide pool coverage of presidential events. Trump has been skilled at using the media to fire up his base and get loads of free publicity. He didn’t stop to think about what he was doing or the ramifications. He was acting on the belief that he could do anything and get away with it. Once he said he could go down Fifth Avenue and shoot someone, and nothing would happen. That’s how the man thinks. In this case, he was wrong.

 The press’s behavior evokes the Boston Tea Party, an important event in our nation’s history. The press is standing up to a bully who is trying to turn reality upside down. It’s well documented that the president has told many lies, and when he calls the press “fake news,” it’s clear he’s unwittingly talking about himself.

Musings: Food for Thought


Food is as necessary as water for survival.  Perhaps that is why it is so often used as a metaphor for life. Yet we say, “Man cannot live by bread alone.”  Given its fundamental nature, food is often juxtaposed with lofty ideals. Presumably, we could starve for our ideals given the right circumstances. 


We all have associations and memories (as Proust famously observed upon biting that madeleine) attached to taste and smell.  These associations tie us to a place, a moment in time; they even evoke a face long gone. (My grandmother, early mornings with cocoa, oatmeal with cream and brown sugar.) 

In a time of abundance, we can take food for granted. There is so much of it and in such variety. We’re a culture that worries about obesity and overeating, with diabetes on the rise and other ills. An entire industry exists to undo the effects of overeating. There is a vast literature, both popular and scientific, devoted to these issues. Food can come to be seen as the enemy. Eating disorders are not the subject here. These issues have been addressed many times over. Were the disorders easily amenable to treatment, solutions would have been found long ago.  

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Senior Sketch: Midge Coburn

A Story of Resilience, Courage and Humanity


The driveway to longtime SDPA member Midge Coburn’s house is steep and winding. It takes focus, attention, and skill to maneuver a car and reach Midge’s garage. Getting to her home may well be a metaphor for the life Midge has led. Her in-person persona, calm, steady, and focused, may belie a life marked by many obstacles, challenges, and tests of her will and character. She has not followed an easy or conventional path but has led a life of determination, guided by strong values reinforced throughout her life.

 Midge has long been interested in people and their lives. As a child in Ontario, California, she loved talking with friends and adults. Not surprisingly, many of her friends sought her company because she listened carefully and cared deeply.

She went to UCLA to study psychology, but she was less than enamored with the experimental psychology courses focused on rat behavior. This wasn’t her calling. She changed her major to sociology, married at 19, and began working as a probation officer. She loved researching people and trying to understand their lives so she could make helpful recommendations. She felt effective in her job because judges often followed her and her colleagues’ recommendations.

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Grandma Hobbies: A Pathway to Health and Happiness


The concept of self-care has become an increasingly popular and accepted phenomenon in American society. Many adults are trying to prioritize recreational tasks, leisure activities, and hobbies to promote their well-being. Included in this culture shift is the promotion of “grandma hobbies” (Lascala, 2025). Under this category are activities such as knitting and sewing, crochet, birdwatching, gardening, baking, coloring, and reading. Behavioral activation – choosing to engage in activities to improve health – has many benefits for older adults (Janssen et al., 2023). Various psychological studies have supported the theory that these “grandma hobbies,” specifically, can increase mental and emotional well-being. Of course, these practices and their benefits can be applied to all of us, though “grandmas” may lead us by example. 

Knitting, sewing, and embroidery are all projects that involve motor skills, focus, and a sense of accomplishment. These hobbies can be practiced in an individual setting as well as in a social setting. Knitting among peers has been shown to increase one’s sense of belonging, and the act itself helps one to achieve a sense of competence (Nordstrand, Gunnarsson, & Häggblom- Kronlöf, 2024). The calming effect for those who engage in this hobby can lead to reductions in anxiety, depression, stress, and pain (Nordstrand et al., 2025). These simple tasks can also increase self-efficacy and a sense of control in one’s life when one feels a lack of control elsewhere (Nordstrand et al., 2025). The repetitive movements of the hands and focus on the task have been shown to create a meditative state among knitters, resulting in reduced anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol levels (Meehan, McCulloh, & Schlamb, 2025). 

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Baci Ristorante


I recently dined at this old-world restaurant on Morena Boulevard in San Diego. I’ve been going there for years, and I was saddened to learn of the death of Tony D’Amato, the owner, who died in Europe while visiting with his wife. Philip, his son, whom I’ve known for many years, is now managing the restaurant.

Baci has long been a place where Italian people from Little Italy and the surrounding area come on the weekends to dine and greet each other. It has a very different vibe than more modern, upscale Italian restaurants like North Italia or Piatti. Those are good places, but there’s something about the atmosphere at Baci that I resonate with.

The building is old, and the decorations are traditional. The food is always excellent, and the same servers have worked there for years. They’re professional, friendly, and competent.

My only complaint about the restaurant is that it’s very noisy. It’s hard to hear the people next to you. It’s annoying, but on the other hand, it’s part of the atmosphere of a lively place where friends meet for an evening of good food and goodwill.

Members on the Move

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Heim Belzer is a regular, enthusiastic pickleball player at the Bay Club in Carmel Valley. He works part-time and will soon travel to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park on a road trip. He visits his children and grandchildren frequently and is enjoying semi-retirement.

His wife, Rosa, continues to work on projects with the Center for Creative Leadership. She is also a passionate pickleball player at the Bay Club, though she is battling joint problems, a common senior malady.

Amazon Prime: Remember the Titans


Remember the Titans is a movie everyone should see. It chronicles the phenomenon of integration in the South and what happens when black and white players are forced to become a team and confront their racial prejudices. Denzel Washington, as the coach, is superb and brings the players together to form a well-functioning team. The story is true, and it is a moving tribute to the courageous players on that team.

 In light of the administration’s attempt to reignite racial hatred in the United States, the movie is an important one and can be watched numerous times without becoming stale.  It’s a feel-good movie, but it’s realistic and wonderfully acted by the entire cast.  It’s currently showing on Amazon Prime.