Michael Ackley

Performed and enjoyed just about everything in journalism, reporting, editing etc. Finally was daily columnist in Sacramento for seven years, then two years as editor of a small daily. Taught six years and advised for the school newspaper at Cal State Hayward.
Meanwhile, my wife of going on 58 years, Nancy Anne, did most of the kid-raising, taught for several years, worked for a congressman, edited copy on a large daily newspaper, wrote a couple of books for the National School Safety Center, and concluded her career at Cal State Hayward as a writer/editor for the university and its alumni association. We retired together in 2004.
As columnist, I had time to get back in shape, ranking nationally in the pentathlon, winning the Western States 1500-meter championship. Great fun, but wore out both hips. Having two new ones, I figure that the implants on average thus have lowered my age.
I'm no longer writing a column but confining myself mostly to creative writing and to fuming over the decadent state of contemporary poetry.
After enjoying our life in the mountains east of Sonora for 13 years we decided it was time to stop sweating out the wildfire season (from about April to November) and to recognize that shoveling snow was no longer recreational. Thus, we have moved back to Sacramento County (Fair Oaks) where we lived for about 18 years and where our children did most of their growing up.

A wise friend, the late Ron Schrap, once told me the best thing we could say about our high school years is "I'm sorry." I can only add that I hope to have matured miles from those days -- starting when I was about 35.
Best to all.
In light of Ron's wise thoughts, I add below a poem I wrote in this wise:

Surely by Now They All Have Passed Away

Surely by now they all have passed away
Who should have heard the words you did not say.
Surely by now all the aggrieved are dead,
Who sadly heard what you should not have said.

There is within each soul a room
Where time does not hold sway
And cannot bitter words consume,
So they remain still fresh today.

And if the ranks of injured are deceased,
Why are you not from penalty released?
But by the rank transgressions of your tongue
Are you forever freshly stung.

March 14, 2021