After 40 years as a computer programmer and game developer—and the passing of his wife of 47 years—Rick has retired and is now living in Ye Olde Folks Home, where he still tinkers with tech and likes to write these amusing and/or thoughtful tales about his storied life.

The Perils of A Capella Singing
Bringing Coffee for Alice
“Turn Off the Lights!”
What to Say to the Grieving
While Waiting for the School Bus
An Unfortunate Misunderstanding
In Memoriam: Betty Lou Edwards-Vessel
A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
Who Would Jesus Stab?
The Eggshell Incident
First Chapel Service at Ye Olde Folks Home
A Yearly Ritual at Menards
“Mr. Loftus, the Town Hero”
The FCAL Project
Pepe Le Pew Finds New Lodgings
In Memoriam: Dale Lear
Bingo Bedlam at Ye Olde Folks Home
There’s a Shortage of Perfect Movies…
One Day at the DMV
A Visitor from Microsoft
“He Who Should Not Be Named”
Downton… Abbey?
This Home is a Liver-Free Zone
My 9/11 Rememberances
My Yearly Pumpkin Spice Rant
Done In By Baker’s Square
My Eulogy for Alice
“Dear Rikki…”
A Clean, Well-lighted Place for Books
Memories of my First Computer
A Little Excitement at the Staff Meeting
The Tale of Mrs. Butler
Sun, Sand, and a Margarita
“Thou Shalt Not Steal”
Troubleshooting at Ye Olde Folks Home
Stories of my Mother
I’ve Heard Angels Sing
Elevator Mishap at the Eye Clinic
One Day at Fair, Isaac
Saturday Morning Cartoons
A Sprig of Parsley
Fun With Recruitment Ads
Leave Her to Heaven
“Squirrel!”
Bring me Dave Bringle!
Beware! The Oldsters Are Coming!
Life Among the Progressives
A Family Ritual While Watching Masterpiece
The Unforgettable General Oppy
“Don’t Even THINK About Parking Here”
A Dubious Plan Gone Awry
The Singing Christmas Tree!
One Day in the Hospital Lab
The Legend of the Broken Timer
Nelson’s Fruit Stand
This One Time in Glee Club…
Star Trek References for the Win
Family Psalm, Stuck in Lodi
Vacation in Branson
Clyde and Ruth Revisited
COVID Policies During my Wife’s Fatal Illness
I Guess I’m the Shadow IT Department Now
The Tale of Clyde and Ruth
My Garden of Gethsemane Story
We Might Get a Virus!

My Yearly Pumpkin Spice Rant

Some things happen every year, just like clockwork.

Every August 9th everyone debates the dropping of bombs on Nagasaki.

I think it would make much more sense to celebrate my birthday which happens to be on that day, or perhaps the resignation of Richard Nixon if you must get political. But nobody listens to me.

Similarly, the beginning of fall is the start of the big pumpkin spice latte controversy.

Yes, once upon a time there was no pumpkin in a pumpkin spice latte. Some people thought that was a bit sketchy since it seemed like false advertising.

Starbucks was shamed into adding a smidgen of pumpkin puree to the drink in 2015 because of all the hullabaloo, but y’all need to stand down. It’s a pumpkin spice latte, not a pumpkin spice latte.

Pumpkin spice (originally called pumpkin pie spice) is a blend of various spices used to flavor pumpkin pie because, frankly, pumpkins are a little bland and need a bit of added excitement.

In short, pumpkin spice is a spice… that is used to flavor pumpkin… which itself contains no pumpkin. Got that?

Is a pumpkin spice latte good for you? Maybe not; it’s chock full of sugar and chemical punch, but it sure tastes good.

Everything in moderation, am I right?