Randy Elrod's Blog, page 7

The Art of Getting Lost

We decided to get lost yesterday. I had read about the art of getting lost on a placard in the Museu d’Història de Barcelona. But I had never purposely gotten lost and wanted to try it. So we took the tram, then the metro to Liceu, and walked through Old Town to El Born, to one...

Writing and Painting the Hidden Things that People Dare Not Face or Say

Ah, the secrets we keep, the longings and desires we hide. We are afraid to be honest with others (and sometimes, rightly so); tragically, we are scared to be honest with ourselves. If you dare, play a game with me.   Look, in your mind, at this photograph. Is it of a nude (or would...

My Biggest Regret

I regret wasting decades of my life while consuming media: mainstream media like the NYTimes, Axios, Politico, CNN, et al., and social media like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads. For some people, these may be good things, but for me, they became an increasingly unhealthy addiction. I firmly believe a porn addiction is far...

The Greatest Country In The World?

*First, A Note to My Courageous Readers: As we enter 2025, my weekly goal for these writings is to reflect what I feel are the essentials of life: sensuality, curiosity, communion, and freedom. I am grateful to have the freedom to write about things that are important to me, to be free to write in...

Dead Week

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day always seems weird. Some people call it “dead week.” In Spain, we call it puente–it is customary that when a holiday falls midweek, you bridge the gap and take the days between as a holiday. Time goes into a warp, neither long nor short. Everything is out of rhythm, out...

The Books I Loved in 2024

My Top 10 Books of 2024

Happy Holidays from España

Happy Holidays from Españya

What I Learned Spending a Day with a Master Chef from Basque Country Spain

Since my retirement at age 48, I have loved cooking, but now that we are here in Spain, it has become one of the supreme joys of my life. The Basque Country in northern Spain is celebrated worldwide for its haute cuisine. The combination of Spanish zest and French elegance is evident in every bite....

What I Learned Sending a Day with a Master Chef from Basque Country Spain

The Basque Country in northern Spain is celebrated worldwide for its haute cuisine. The combination of Spanish zest and French elegance is evident in every bite. Whether savoring pintxos in a bustling bar or enjoying Michelin-starred dining like we did this past September, each experience highlights the area’s rich cultural tapestry. But the real foodie...