What would you change about modern society?

I’d start by putting timers in smartphones. The kind that automatically locks you out after 4 hours on it. You’d spend those 4 hours more wisely I’m sure.

Make all boarding passes electronic & for the smartphone. Paper is wasteful & it’s easy to lose it.

That all carrying on bags would come with a scale so you know when you’re over the limit & have to check it. So no surprises at the airport.

That more airlines would board by groups instead of by rows. That all airlines check carry on bags before they reach the gate.

That you’d get a notification if you actual mail in your mailbox instead of having to guess.

That smartphones would be used in a limited capacity & not for everything.

What bothers you and why?

I’m a frequent traveler & what annoys me the most is bad customer service. For example my coffee is hot & my pancakes are cold. Or attitude when I want to spend time in your store.

Bad customer service just rubs the wrong way & personnel that should work elsewhere than customer service. Being kind goes along way but when I get my food before my coffee I have to wonder what’s happening in the kitchen.

I enjoy sitting down & writing but when I have spent money I expect that I can be there for more than 15 minutes after I have eaten. It’s rude to chase people away because I believe in word of mouth & not outing them online.

Anyway, I feel like people are becoming more rude after COVID. Either they travel still wearing masks in public which is avoidance of others. Just stay home if you’re going to travel that way.

Being kind to customers goes along way. Even at an airport. Being kind even when things are Texas goes along way.

If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?

I’d invite Ernest Hemingway, for his whiskey & his banter. Plus he was an amazing storyteller so I’d ask him about his writing of course.

Someone from this period I’d invite Valerie Perrin because I’m a huge fan of her writing & storytelling ability. Plus, I think she’d be the life of the party & Hemingway might get jealous.

Then I’d invite Mary Oliver as I really like her body of work & she’s a fellow poet. I’d think she & I would have lively conversation about beats & form.