It is officially the end of an era.  On June 10, 2022, loving husband, father, Papa, Great Papa, brother, friend, and mentor to so many, Richard Mayton, passed away at his home in Eureka while surrounded by his family.  He was 81 years young.  Richard was preceded in death by his beautiful wife and lifelong co-conspirator, Nina Mayton.  She passed away peacefully, also surrounded by her family, on October 18, 2017.

Richard and Nina are survived by their three daughters, Debyra (Bill) Herndon, Cyndi (Tad) Sundquist, and Jennifer (Zac) Dalton.  They are also survived by their beautiful and much-adored grandchildren, Sara and Michael Herndon, Trevor and Trey Sundquist, and Spencer Estelle.  They were also blessed and survived by two great-granddaughters who lit up their worlds, Lily Herndon and Ava Herndon.    

Richard was born in 1941 in Ashdown, Arkansas to Ethel and Robert Mayton.  He was one of 11 children.  He is survived by his sister, Deneta Cochran of Texas, and by his brother Roy Mayton of Arkansas.   He was preceded in death by eight siblings.  Nina was born in 1943 in Paso Robles, California to Stella and Larnce Newell.  She was preceded in death by her sister, Ilene Sheldon of Washington and is survived by her sisters, Nadine Johnson of Oregon and Kay Hubbard of Arizona. They are also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and other family members. 

Nina and Richard (Mom and Dad) married on May 16, 1959.  They were inseparable, and together, they were a force to be reckoned with.  They focused on raising their three daughters and provided them with rich and fulfilling life experiences that were centered on family.  Mom and Dad always wanted their girls to have more than they themselves had growing up, and they made that a priority. 

To provide for his family, Dad went to work in the sawmills of Humboldt County where he met many of his lifelong friends.  While mill work supplied a good living for his family, it was not his true passion. He found his passion in the late 70s, when he became involved with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department.  He volunteered in both the Marine Posse and the Mounted Posse.  When the mills closed down, Dad embarked on a new and challenging journey.  He attended the College of the Redwoods Police Academy.  He did so later in life and joked that he attended college with his daughters (Debyra and Cyndi).  

Upon graduation from the Academy, Dad was officially hired as a Deputy Sheriff.  It is an understatement to say that law enforcement was the career of his lifetime.  He loved the Sheriff’s Department, the camaraderie of his colleagues, and the people of the communities that he served.  He spent many of his years in the Bridgeville area as a resident deputy, where he was known to be kind, compassionate, and fair.  He worked for five different sheriffs during his tenure in the Department, the first being Sheriff Gene Cox who was his mentor and friend.    

Mom was a hardworking powerhouse as well, and she was a woman before her time.  She managed the sporting goods departments for numerous stores, including Disco, Bazaar, Longs Drugs and Pro Sport Center.   She was the woman who knew everything there was to know about guns, ammo, hunting, and fishing, and she was admired and respected by her customers for her kindness, skills, and knowledge.  She had an award-winning smile.  

Music was always a big part of the Mayton household.  Many weekends were spent having jam sessions in our living room.  Various friends and musicians would show up to “pick and sing.”  There were usually two fiddle players, Dad on guitar, and a host of other musicians in attendance.  Classic country was always on the playlist, and the Orange Blossom Special usually ended the night.  While Mom wasn’t a musician, she was quite the dancer, and while folks were playing and singing in the living room, she and her girls would be having sock hops in the kitchen.  They learned to Jitterbug from the best.  It was always a time of good feelings and good friends.  

When Dad accepted the Resident Deputy position in Bridgeville, Mom and Dad moved to the  country and enjoyed life on the ranch.  The entire family agrees that the Deerfield Ranch years were the best years of our lives.  Mom and Dad thrived in the country, raising horses and chickens.  There were always ponies for the grandchildren.  They also occasionally befriended wildlife, including a raccoon and a stray porcupine that they named “Slick”.  Dad stocked the pond with trout for the grandchildren.   Mom tended to the animals, rode horses, planted incredible flower gardens, and took up wreathmaking from the treasures that she collected from the ranch.  She also became an outstanding woodworker and enjoyed refinishing antique furniture.    

Mom was an amazingly talented seamstress who created costumes for the Nutcracker Ballet and Halloween costumes for all of her grandchildren.  Usually at least one grandchild per year chose to dress like “Papa” (as a Deputy or an old-time black powder hunter).  Dad made chairs out of stumps for everyone and put them around a huge bonfire pit.  He would play guitar and everyone would roast hotdogs and marshmallows and sing old country songs.  Each grandchild had a favorite song that they would request, and Dad was always happy to oblige.   There was lots of love and laughter when Mom and Dad hosted gatherings with their family and friends at the ranch.  

Mom and Dad will always be loved and cherished by all who knew them, family and friends alike.  They were generous, funny, loving, and kind people who left a positive mark on this world.  They will be truly missed, which is a sign of lives well-lived.  Their souls have reunited; may they fly with angels and be at peace.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of Humboldt whose entire staff was incredibly dedicated, kind, and compassionate to Mom, Dad and the rest of our family during their final days.  Donations may also be made to your favorite charity. 

The Mayton family’s world will be a darker place without Mom and Dad; however, the light, joy, security, and goodness that they provided will live on through each and every one of us as we navigate our way forward without them.  We invite you to join us in a celebration of their lives on July 9, 2022 from 1-4 p.m. at the Eureka Elks Lodge, where Dad was a member.  Please feel free to share your favorite memories and stories, which we know are in abundance.  There will be food, community, and likely a whole lot of tears.  We hope to see you there.  

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford Resigns
• Here’s the Moment the Planning Commission Learned That John Ford is Not, in Fact, Leaving for Fort Bragg

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A week and a half ago, shortly after a flabbergasted Humboldt County Planning Commission learned that John Ford would not be resigning to take the city manager job in Fort Bragg, as he had planned to do, Commission Chair Alan Bongio turned to Ford and said, “I hope, however you worked that out, you got a big pay raise.”

Whether Ford personally worked it out or not, the county Board of Supervisors is set to give its planning and building director a 15 percent pay hike at tomorrow’s meeting. The proposed compensation boost would add $23,286 to Ford’s wages, bringing his annual base salary up to $178,526.

A staff report on the proposed increase doesn’t even mention Ford’s about-face on the job in Fort Bragg, a reversal he attributed to family issues. Instead it says the raise represents “compensation for taking on additional responsibilities,” including his department’s assumption of the county Code Enforcement Division and the creation of the Cannabis Planning Division.

“In addition,” the staff report says, “the Planning & Building Department has taken on significant Advance Planning responsibilities including Nordic Aquafarms permitting, Housing Trust Fund, McKinleyville Town Center Master Plan, Sea Level Rise planning, Drought Task Force, Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance, and others.”

None of those responsibilities were added particularly recently. Code Enforcement was moved from the County Administrative Office to the Planning and Building Department almost five years ago, and the Cannabis Planning Division was established way back on July 1, 2016, four months before Ford started on the job.

Still, it’s true that the department has grown significantly during Ford’s tenure. In the year before he arrived, the Planning Department had an annual budget of $6.2 million and 40 full-time-equivalent positions. Its budget has since ballooned to more than $28 million per year, and staffing has more than doubled to 84 full-time positions.

County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes said the department is “a different agency” from the one Ford took over in 2016, and the extra responsibilities and staff he has taken on have grown to a point where the compensation needed updating. 

“John has done a huge amount of work on some of the most important and controversial projects facing Humboldt County, and we have all benefitted from his skill, knowledge and expertise,” Hayes said. “It is clear that the community values John’s contributions to Humboldt County, as does the Board, and we know he will continue to do great work here. Needless to say, the Board was pleased to see he will continue to serve our residents for the foreseeable future.”

Ford’s proposed raise is on the consent calendar for tomorrow’s meeting, which means it’s set to get approved without discussion, along with 30 44 other agenda items, unless staff or a supervisor pull the matter for discussion.

For the sake of comparison, the Outpost looked into the compensation for planning directors (or their nearest equivalents) in the three counties with the closest population to Humboldt’s — Napa, Kings and Madera. It’s important to note that the jobs aren’t apples-to-apples comparable since each county assigns different tasks to its department heads, so take this information for whatever it’s worth. But here’s what we found:

Even Ford’s current base salary of $155,240 is higher than that of Jamie Bax, who makes $137,998 per year as Madera County’s director of community and economic development. It’s also a tiny bit higher than the $154,224 base salary for Kings County Community Development Director Charles “Chuck” Kinney. 

On the other hand, Ford’s proposed raise to $178,526 would still leave him making a lot less than David Morrison, Napa County’s planning, building and environmental services manager, whose annual base salary is $230,235. 

Regardless, 15 percent raises are uncommon among Humboldt County employees, though they’re not unheard of. For example, county payroll employees got a 19 percent pay bump a few years back, according to Assistant County Administrative Officer Sean Quincey. And after recent salary negotiations, the Board of Supervisors agreed to give correctional deputies a 12 percent raise across the board.

Quincey said department heads typically get a five percent bump when they take on a new division or significant new responsibility. The staff report notes, “Other than [a] negotiated cost of living increase, the Planning and Building Director salary has not been evaluated with consideration of the increased responsibility that has taken place in recent years.” 

The report also commends Ford for his skill and leadership in implementing innovative programs and guiding the county through the complex implementation of a cannabis regulatory system, and it says the future will bring more challenges with housing demands and infrastructure growth.

Like virtually every other department in the county, the Planning Department is currently short-staffed. It’s spending only about 90 percent of its allotted salary in the current planning budget, which leaves “plenty of room to pay for” Ford’s raise, Quincey said.

The Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

PREVIOUSLY: Home Invasion Robbery Investigation in Eureka Near Henderson Center Draws Large Law Enforcement Response; Neighborhood Residents Told to Shelter in Place

Eureka Police Department release: 

On June 25, 2022, at about 4:10 p.m., officers with the Eureka Police Department responded to a residence on the 2700 block of E Street for the report of a home invasion robbery. A victim had escaped and ran to a nearby business to call for help.

The victim reported that 6 males entered the home with firearms and tied him and his friends up. While the victims were tied up, the suspects stole marijuana, car keys, cash, and cell phones.

Due to the unknown circumstances and status of victims or suspects potentially still in the residence, the Humboldt County SWAT team was called out to the scene. After a thorough search, it was determined that there were no victims or suspects inside.

Hours after this incident, three possible suspects were detained in Trinity County. This remains an active and dynamic investigation. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Senior Detective Cosetti at acosetti@ci.eureka.ca.gov or (707) 441-4315.

The Eureka Police Department would like to thank the surrounding agencies for their assistance and Eureka Public Works Director and employees of nearby businesses for helping with traffic control and road closures.

 Arcata Fire District press release: 

The Arcata Fire District is working with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Arcata Police Department, State Fire Marshal’s Office, and CAL FIRE Prevention this Fourth of July to reduce and enforce the use of illegal fireworks in McKinleyville and Arcata areas.

Arcata Fire District is asking the community to call 911 regarding the use of illegal fireworks, ONLY if there is imminent danger to person, property, or if a fire has started. Please do not call 911 if you hear a loud boom, or see illegal fireworks being used in the distance. There are a limited number of resources assigned to this enforcement and we do not want to inundate the 911 system with nuisance calls that can’t be located due to lack of specific information.

The goal of this joint effort is to provide targeted patrols in communities where there have been a lot of illegal fireworks in previous years. Officers and Deputies from local law enforcement are specifically looking for anyone using illegal fireworks. If a person is in possession of illegal fireworks or found using illegal fireworks, they will be cited and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Chief Campbell reports, “We will not be able to stop all use of illegal fireworks that occur but we hope to reduce it through enforcement and word of mouth when someone is charged and prosecuted. We ask the community to secure their pets and only call 911 if there is immediate danger to their safety. Law enforcement will be doing their best to track down those using illegal fireworks so they can be cited, and the fireworks can be confiscated.”

The Fourth of July is a busy time for 911 dispatchers, using 911 should be reserved for true emergencies. Calling 911 to report a neighbor lighting off firecrackers down the street should not be considered an emergency.

Arcata Fire is asking everyone in the community to be extremely safe and to be a good neighbor this Fourth of July Holiday.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have agreed to provide as much as $1,050 to millions of California families to help with rising gas prices and inflation, they confirmed Sunday night.

The three-tier program would benefit an estimated 23 million California taxpayers, including individual filers making as much as $250,000 and joint filers making as much as $500,000, with low- and middle-income households set to receive incrementally more money.

The $9.5 billion in tax refunds, which CalMatters reported Friday, is part of a $12 billion relief plan that is central to a broader $300 billion budget deal that state leaders announced Sunday night.

“California’s budget addresses the state’s most pressing needs, and prioritizes getting dollars back into the pockets of millions of Californians who are grappling with global inflation and rising prices of everything from gas to groceries,” Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said in a joint statement.

Under the tax rebate plan, households making as much as $75,000 for individuals or $150,000 for joint filers would receive $350 per taxpayer, plus an additional $350 if they have at least one dependent. So a single parent would receive $700 and two-parent families would receive $1,050.

The amount would decrease to $250 per taxpayer for households making as much as $125,000 for individuals or $250,000 for joint filers, and to $200 per taxpayer for households making as much as $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for joint filers. In both of these tiers, parents would receive an additional $250 or $200, respectively, if they have at least one dependent.

Californians with incomes above $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for joint filers would not receive a rebate. The relief package also includes $1.1 billion in aid for recipients of Supplemental Social Security or CalWORKs.

“The plan recognizes that some people are hurting more than others and gives them greater relief,” according to an email sent earlier this week to Assembly Democrats.

Differences in proposed spending for universities, housing and social safety net programs, as well as the details of a major climate package, lingered as the Legislature passed a placeholder budget earlier this month. But the biggest holdup to a bargain, which must pass before lawmakers leave for summer recess at the end of the month, had been the dispute over direct financial assistance for taxpayers.

Newsom and legislative leaders were at odds for months over whether to target the relief at drivers or the neediest Californians.

During his State of the State speech in March, the governor called for a plan to address spiraling gas prices, which have since reached an average of more than $6 per gallon. He proposed to send $400 debit cards to every registered vehicle owner in the state, up to two per person.

Legislative leaders firmly resisted that approach, which did not include an income limit. Progressive critics noted that it would benefit millionaires and billionaires while leaving out Californians too poor to own their own cars.

The agreement is much closer to the program that Atkins and Rendon devised, under which the state would have cut $200 checks for each eligible taxpayer and their dependents living in households making less than $250,000 per year for a couple or $125,000 per year for an individual.

Despite growing demands from Republican lawmakers, plus an increasing number of Democrats, the plan does not include a broad suspension of the state’s gas tax, which is set to increase by three cents on July 1. The relief plan does, however, include a suspension of a portion of the diesel sales tax, lowering prices by about 23 cents per gallon and costing $439 million.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

(AUDIO) Will Startare is Holding Up

Much has been written about Arcata’s desperate need for more places to live. With Cal Poly Humboldt’s planned expansion, an influx of climate refugees drawn to Humboldt’s milder weather and the potential for large-scale, job-generating projects on our region’s horizon, city officials have put great focus on attempting to make way for  construction that would increase housing stock. 

Will Startare, home builder

So what’s it like to try and build a house in Arcata these days? On today’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up, we speak with Will Startare, local electrician and longtime friend of LoCO, about the new three-unit housing project he just completed on a small parcel off Foster Avenue. Separate from his day job, Startare has spent nights and weekends over the the past year or so physically building the project while also taking the time to jump through various planning and permitting hoops Arcata requires, a process he’d never undertaken previously. 

Did it break him? Click the audio player above or click on over to Apple Podcasts to hear Startare nerd out on all the tedious minutiae surrounding his endeavor while LoCO’s Stephanie McGeary and Andrew Goff struggle to wrap their heads around everything they’re hearing. 

And as always, be sure to scroll our list of past guests below.

PREVIOUS HUMBOLDT HOLDING UP GUESTS:

• #96 Redwood News Anchor John Kennedy O’Connor
• #95 Election Roundup with Tom Wheeler and Hank Sims
• #94 Rocky Horror Show’s Craig Woods and Holly Portman
• #93 St. Joe Nurse Lauren Van Vlear
• #92 Planned Parenthood Northern California CEO Gilda Gonzales
• #91 Arcata Main Street Bellydancer Shoshanna
• #90 Antarctic Voyager Darren Weiss
• #89 Bounskee Creator Justin Schwartzman
• #88 Arcata Senior Planner Delo Freitas
• #87 Humboldt County Supervisor Virginia Bass
• #86 Annie’s Cambodian’s Laura Chau-Yang
• #85 Comedian Josh Barnes
• #84 Cal Poly Humboldt’s Jenn Capps, Connie Stewart & Mike Fisher
• #83 Eureka Artist Jesse Wiedel
• #82 Keyboard Veteran Brian Swislow
• #81 Lost Lewis Treasure Hunter Corey Lewis
• #80 “The Cannabis Conversation” Writer Jesse Duncan
• #79 Humboldt COAD’s Alison Sterling Nichols
• #78 Miranda’s Rescue Founder Shannon Miranda
• #77 Eureka Police Department Chief Steve Watson
• #76 ‘The Bartow Project’ Michelle Hernandez and Zuzka Sabata
• #75 Foggy Bottoms Boys Thomas and Cody Nicholson Stratton
• #74 North Coast News’ Nazy Javid
• #73 Pumpkin Carver Mike Craghead
• #72 Eureka Police Department Sergeant Leonard LaFrance
• #71 Eureka Artist Duane Flatmo
• #70 Arcata City Councilmember Sarah Schaefer
• #69 Humboldt Hot Air Director Neroli Devaney
• #68 St. Joe’s James Ladika and Austin Allison
• #67 Eureka Artist Richard Evans
• #66 NCRT’s Calder Johnson
• #65 TV Newsman Dave Silverbrand 
• #63 Housing Policy Specialist Brian Heaton
• #62 Muralists Blake Reagan and Lucas Thornton
• #61 Arcata City Councilmember Emily Goldstein
• #60 Kayak Guide Eric Stockwell
• #59 Eureka City Councilmember Natalie Arroyo
• #58 Wiyot Cultural Center Manager Marnie Atkins
• #57 Humboldt County Growers’ Alliance’s Natalynne DeLapp
• #56 RREDC Executive Director Gregg Foster
• #55 Dell’Arte’s Michael Fields
• #54 Llama Wrangler Keagan Trischum
• #53 Crabs President David Sharp
• #52 Organic Dairy Farmers Kristina Radelfinger and Dorice Miranda
• #51 Former Arcata Mayor Alex Stillman
• #50 Cooperation Humboldt’s David Cobb
• #49 Ink People Center for the Arts’ Libby Maynard
• #48 Humboldt Bay Social Co-Owner Amy Cirincione O’Connor
• #47 Musician Lyndsey Battle
• #46 Mad River Brewing CEO Linda Cooley
• #45 LoCO Editor Hank Sims
• #44 Humboldt Republic’s Jason Brandi
• #43 Table Bluff Farmer Hannah Eisloeffel
• #42 Logger Bar Owner Kate Martin
• #41 Teacher/Rapper Zach “Zigzilla” Lehner
• #40 Madaket Captain “Zippo” Libby Tonning
• #39 Event Planner Alegria Sita
• #38 Food For People’s Anne Holcomb
• #37 AHHA President Nezzie Wade
• #36 Performance Artist Noël August/Tucker Noir
• #35 Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman
• #34 Eagle House Owner Jennifer Metz
• #33 Absynth Quartet Drummer Mike “Tofu” Schwartz
• #32 HACHR Executive Director Lasara Firefox Allen
• #31 Alchemy Distillery Owner Amy Bohner
• #30 Eureka City Councilmember Kati Moulton
• #29 Eureka City Councilmember Scott Bauer
• #28 Ungraceful Ager Barry Evans
• #27 Arcata City Councilmember Sofia Pereira
• #26 HumBrews Music Booker Laurel Weston
• #25 Eureka City Councilmember Kim Bergel
• #24 Film Commission’s Cassandra Hesseltine and Nate Adams
• #23 Marble Maker Topher Reynolds
• #22 Arcata Playhouse Director Jacqueline Dandeneau
• #21 Humboldt Political Junkie Eric Kirk
• #20 Rio Dell Mayor Debra Garnes
• #19 Second District Supervisor Estelle Fennell
• #18 Arcata Food Aficionado Jada Calypso Brotman
• #17 Body Piercer Jackie Silva
• #16 Dick Taylor Chocolate’s Adam Dick
• #15 FUHS Teachers Mark Thom and Inma Thompson
• #14 Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery
• #13 Savage Henry Co-Founder Chris Durant
• #12 Eureka Street Art Festival Organizer Jenna Catsos
• #11 SCRAP Humboldt Founder Tibora Bea
• #10 Gym Owner Tyler Parr
• #9 Six Rivers Brewery Co-Owner Meredith Maier
• #8 Multicultural Skincare Therapist Levia Love
• #7 Annie’s Cambodian Server and Social Worker Joshua Coppock
• #6 Eureka City Councilmember Austin Allison
• #5 HSU Professor Deidre Pike 
• #4 Pastor Bethany Cseh
• #3 Singer/Songwriter Chris Parreira
• #2 Eureka City Councilmember Leslie Castellano
• #1 Arcata City Councilmember Paul Pitino

I follow a usually upbeat, optimistic Facebook group which came down with a thump last week. Under the heading, “Things I’ve noticed about aging post 70,” the writer, a Buddhist teacher, listed all problems he had discovered in what he apparently took to be “old age”: glitchy memory, lack of strength and coordination, no more traveling: “Get it done in your 60s. Your 70s will be occupied by ‘Where did I put my pants?’” he wrote. To me, he sounded like an old man already, 90 instead of 70.

The comments mostly followed his doom-and-gloom outlook. “At 61, my memory is already not what it used to be. Physical strength and stamina… not even close;” “Failing proprioception.!” “…the day after turning 70 the ground is…harder, more wobbly … and slippery…;” and [quoting from The Crown] “There came a moment, around the time I turned 70, when it dawned on me I was no longer a participant (in life), rather a spectator….”

From my POV, worrying about skin cancer or sketchy memory or failing stamina as we age just adds anxiety (a killer in itself) to one’s problems. Instead of worrying (and kvetching to anyone who will listen to one’s litany of complaints), how about doing something about it? For example, responding to these three issues: (1) I see a dermatologist regularly; (2) My wife and I make daily to-do lists, I use Siri or Alexa to remind me about appointments, and I carry a notepad and pencil whenever I go out; (3) Of course “We are not now that strength which in old days/Moved earth and heaven,” (yay Tennyson!), but, like Ulysses, it’s possible to compensate: Push-ups, walking up stairs instead of taking the escalator, biking instead of driving, kayaking on the Bay, hiking…

Having a target of 10,000 steps per day is ridiculous — what’s so special about 10,000? Except it works!

Look, I don’t want to come off as, I’ve got it all together. I’m hopelessly pessimistic about the state of the nation and of the planet. My libido’s doing what it does to most men my age. Hair’s rapidly disappearing. I bleed easily. Lasiked eyes. Wanna hear about my back? The usual, in other words. But, according to Louisa, I’m annoyingly optimistic. So, for what it’s worth, at a couple of months shy of 80, here are some tricks that have helped me:

• We dumped our TV. I mostly avoid getting caught up in national and international news (on which I can have minimal influence) and focus on local issues that I may be able to affect. Again, stress kills.
• My best friend in Humboldt is half my age. I make a point of hanging with younger people (who don’t give a shit about my ongoing or impending infirmities).
• I walk at least five miles a day (since I no longer run, seeing too many hip, knee and ankle problems in my peers as a result of impact injuries). Also, if I’m in a grumpy mood, getting out and moving always helps.
• I avoid meat, although I can’t prove if this helps health; nutritionists will be arguing about the pros and cons of animal protein forever. (“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” — Michael Pollan)
• I make myself get up early to take advantage of post-sleep dawn energy — and of 5am Starbucks coffee.
• I take advantage of many of the offerings found on the internet ( — a joy to someone who used to have to go to the library to read an article from Encyclopedia Britannica). For instance, I pay for YouTube Premium so I can download talks by my favorite scientists, historians, musicologists and the like to listen to on my walks.
• The year after we moved to Eureka, I tossed 10,000 slides, and I still purge regularly. We aren’t minimalists, but we do try to stay conscious of stuff. I think of excess possessions as a third family member whom we really don’t get on with and try to avoid. “Excess” is, mostly, stuff I haven’t used or appreciated for the last 12 months.

Most important of all: I take a nap every day after lunch.