What better time of year for a story of a ho ho ho big belly? No – I’m not referring to Santa Claus, Saint Nick, or any other variation of bearded man in a red suit. However, while researching sneezing the other day, I ran into the following juicy tidbit. Thank you Guinness Book of […]
Safe and Sound
The expression “there’s no place like home” surely comes into play for our children after a time away, after difficult periods, after challenges that take the air out of their tires – even a little – and they find themselves at last, coming home. “There’s no place like home” is reflected in their comfort, their […]
Sneezing and Wheezing
For thirty minutes yesterday I was possessed by a power greater than myself. A whopper of a sneezing fit. Let me preface this little tale by pointing out that I am not prone to fits of any sort, except for the occasional outbreak of exuberant rhyming, and speaking in accents – both generally the result […]
End of the Year Clearance on Complaint Monday!
You’re sitting in your office trying to make peace with your inner pout. You’re trying to remember where you put the last of the Christmas cards. You’ve got to jam just one or two more holiday errands into the lunch hour. OHMYGOD will you remember to tip the mail carrier and the mechanic and the […]
48 Hours
48 hours. Well, technically, it’s been less. But in the past two days, we’ve had some of my true drug of choice: sleep. My son has scored some serious snooze time, and I’ve racked up more zzzzs than usual, though I’m staring at a pretty depleted well after our marathon of days and nights this […]
The Feminist Factor: Do Men Fear Women?
This question has been rolling around in my mind for days: On some level, do men fear women? I’m not trying to be provocative. But I was reading a discussion on contemporary feminism recently, and the implications around gender-based control keep bringing me back to the issue of fear. Don’t we all try to combat […]
The Zone
Your kid’s eyes are glazed over because it’s after three a.m. and he’s still working, and your eyes are glazed over because it’s after three a.m. and you’re still working, and while you’re the mother you remember being the kid – hanging on with everything you’ve got to pull it out at the end of […]
Deep Freeze
“I know, I know. I look like a bag lady,” I said. He laughed. “More like an older student.” I pursed my lips and furrowed my brow in exaggerated irritation. “That was both kindly and mean,” I retorted, happy enough to run into an old friend, and not so much, looking haggard, ragged and a […]
Do You Speak Your Mind?
Speaking up. Speaking out. Speakimg your mind… with confidence. Sounds easy, right? But it’s not. And you know what I just realized? I spend more time in conversation with adolescents than with adults. I think that’s a great thing. I am more inquisitive, more engaged, and more myself when dealing with those under the age […]
Bah Humbug. NOT.
At last. I’m beginning to feel a bit of seasonal cheer. It might have something to do with frigid temperatures the past few days. Single digits with the wind chill and oh, but I could go for a walk on a Mediterranean beach about now! Still, when it’s December, flurries and the bluster of wintry […]