Tag Archives: childhood

If Adventure Has a Name…

Credits from top left to right: Jordan Whitt, Steffi Wacker, Old Chum, Brett Sayles My Real Memoir If adventure has a name, it’s Indiana La Mirada Jones Teemley. I know that sounds a tad over-the-top, but I had an insatiable … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

On Being a Real-Life Father

Image by Illia Panasenko Father’s Day is Coming A fact that evokes a sense of gratitude in many. But not everyone. Being a real-life father, almost by definition, means being imperfect. I know this because my dad was imperfect. And … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

The Day I Discovered Girls

Photo by Gerrie Vernon My Real Memoir The He Man Woman Haters Club The day I discovered girls came shortly after, inspired by the Little Rascals TV show, Jeff (of Jeff-and-Rory fame) and I formed a “He Man Woman Haters Club … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 45 Comments

A Tale of Two Best Friends

Left to Right: Me, age 7  –  Jeff a.k.a. “Sunshine”  –  Rory-the-Dauntless  –  La Mirada, California My Real Memoir Hello Sunshine This is a tale of two best friends, one full of sunshine, one full of clouds. We’d moved to … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 62 Comments

A True Friend Is Always There

‘Boy in Field’ by Rachael Crowe   —   ‘Tabby Cat’ by Adél Grőber My Real Memoir We’d Moved… …and I was alone again. Or so it seemed. But I was soon to learn that a true friend is always there. I … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 58 Comments

Even When My Father Wasn’t There…

Mommandad on their Wedding Day    –    The world’s oldest surviving McDonald’s My Real Memoir Even when my father wasn’t there, he was there. He was the gravity that kept us from flying off into oblivion. Which is to … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

The Day I Discovered Music

‘You Send Me‘ 1957 by Sam Cooke My Real Memoir It was the day I discovered music. But I wouldn’t realize it until years later. True, I liked music, thanks in large part to my Uncle Walt (Disney). I danced … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Movies, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

The Sky Goes All the Way Down

Source: Raised to Action My Real Memoir The sky goes all the way down, I thought. Or at least it did where we lived. It didn’t in L.A. because the buildings got in its way. Mom used to work there, … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments

My Farewell to Old Los Angeles

Scenes from a long-forgotten L.A. My Real Memoir My farewell to old Los Angeles. That was what it turned out to be. When school was out, Mom would sometimes take me to “her L.A.” The two musts of these magical … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

Horror! Devastation! Pee!

War of the Worlds (1953) My Real Memoir Horror! Devastation! Pee! It was late summer, shortly before second grade began, and Dad wanted to see a movie. Imagine that — Dad wanted to see a movie! It was normally Mom … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments