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Nayef

Nayef Kazzaz was a fellow with us ‘14-‘16. He came to us from King Saud University in Riyadh courtesy of King Muhammad bin Nayef. I don’t know if they were related. My Division welcomed such types, as they came totally paid for, thanks to King Nayef. Nayef had been smoothed by a 3 year internalContinue reading “Nayef”

Leon

Leon Russell pervades through all my preferred Spotify channels, and none are the ”Leon Russell” channel, which surely exists. You can never go too far without hearing a Leon Russell tune, which is o.k. because all Leon Russell tunes are cool. He brought his considerable talents to LA from Oklahoma City in the 60s, becameContinue reading “Leon”

batch

The Vicksburg High School class of 1970 was to have held its 50th reunion July 17 at Indian Run Golf Course. Mr. Corona said no. My own sweetheart had been having a rollicking good time with her Western Reserve Academy class of ’76 on Zoom, so I sought to attain the same with us. TakingContinue reading “batch”

Cream!

Driving to the grocery store is usually a mundane activity which I nevertheless enjoy. But today gave me an epiphany, one I had to share with my friend from the ‘burg, Forrest Hummel (named Steve Layne by his parents, corrected by his peers in Jr High). Forrest and I share a love for music, heContinue reading “Cream!”

thanks, Timbo!

Tim has been my colleague since ’88. His Garden City MI working class upbringing has been refined though Harvard, U of M med school and residency (including a chief residency) and a San Francisco fellowship. He married a dermatologist who’s smarter, better looking , and far more successful (measured by paycheck). Both are still incrediblyContinue reading “thanks, Timbo!”

happy 90th, Cap’n!

I heard on WCRJ this morning that today was William Shatner’s birthday, getting it wrong by two days. Must have been a time warp. He was born 3/22/31 in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to a Conservative Jewish household. Betcha didn’t know he was Jewish. So, yep, Captain Kirk has turned 90. How about that! He still looksContinue reading “happy 90th, Cap’n!”

some tunes

Ain’t it great when that perfect tune comes around on your device? It could be something that reminds you of the best moment in your life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33x_Efa5Lk. Or it could be the saddest song ever, sung here by my pal, Ann Arbor’s own Bill Kirchen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb_Bz4SssxM. That was December 10, 1971, at Crisler Arena, packedContinue reading “some tunes”

hey, Tim

Tim may be my farthest flung Vicksburg friend. After high school, he spent some time in Tulsa at aircraft mechanics school, took a job in Shreveport, briefly came back to Michigan to ponder his options, then on the day after Christmas ’74 pointed his pickup west for the 3500 mile journey to Alaska to makeContinue reading “hey, Tim”

‘shrooms!

I recently posted my paean to the glories of garlic paste, which I’d just discovered for myself after nearly a lifetime of loving the bulb in its more intact forms https://wordpress.com/post/theviewfromharbal.com/1148.  I included a recipe for grilled marinated mushrooms which I’ve used for years and found the results superior to whatever I’d achieved with plainContinue reading “‘shrooms!”

Dr. Frayne?

I wrote this and chose not to post it, as the nomination process I’d entered into was highly confidential, partly to protect the nominee, who might be hurt to know he/she did not get the prize. Well, George Frayne did not get the prize. But he’s gone now, leaving us late September before last. HisContinue reading “Dr. Frayne?”