Teen party planner “Can I have a few people over?” Excuse me? “Saturday night. Can I have a few people over? We’ll sit outside, in the back.” This was unusual. Four sentences. I realize he can talk, and with animation, but generally only when there’s a girl around, or the girl, the OMG hot blonde […]
Are You Happy?
Do you know what makes you happy? Has it changed?
Dear Family of Strangers Connecting
Dear Family of Strangers Connecting: How odd to wake each morning and think of you, immediately. Even as dreams hover. Even as the week’s worries crystallize too quickly, as I wonder what we shall say to each other, as I picture you rushing to jobs, to schools, to computers, to the day’s errands all too […]
Phoenix rising from the ashes. Myth or possibility?
Is it human nature to believe that we can rebuild, even from devastation? I thought of this last evening, of the myth of the Phoenix rising from the ashes. I was watching the season finale of Mad Men, as the main character’s life seems to slip through his fingers – his marriage, his illusions about […]
The Scene of the Crime, the Pleasure of a Hat, a Mother’s News
Intestinal fortitude. A great hat. A mother’s happiness. Friday was a good day. Need a little back story? Oh, the dilemma of working from home! How we weary of wrestling with isolation; writers in particular need an occasional dose of living beings – especially since that’s generally what we write about. And if you’re single […]
Baptism by Bubble Bath (and Other Acts of Love)
I was thinking about my in-laws the other evening. I loved them, and haven’t seen them in nearly 10 years. They are a close knit family, grounded, smart, and unpretentious. We communicated in an amusing mix of languages, and got along well for more than a decade. I remember how proud my father-in-law was when […]
Real men don’t wear pumps
Call me crazy, but every time I see a man in high heels – not lifts, mind you – high heels – ladies high heels – I shake my head. Do you hear me Real Housewives of Atlanta? I’m not talking cross-dressing, drag queens, or trannies in pumps. To them, I say go for it, […]
Techno-Rescue (Kids Kick Butt!)
Let’s hear it for teens with techie talents, remote connection software, and loads of patience for their weary and whiny parents, far far away. A few nights ago, the audio on my laptop stopped working. Bit the dust. Dead. Nada. D-A-M-N-A-T-I-O-N. I wanted to play my favorite DVD! Yes, a chick flick. I tried control […]
Is College Still the Brass Ring? (Teen Stress, College Prep, College Applications)
Is college still the brass ring? With many parents financially strapped and savings wiped out, it’s only natural that we reconsider college for our sons and daughters. Once, it was a given that those four years meant the education needed to succeed, and essential experiences to test independence. My 18-year old is now a freshman […]
Six tips to beat holiday blues
BAM! ZAP! THWAK! Holy holidays, Batman! I flipped on the boob tube Halloween afternoon and what flashed across the screen? Christmas commercials – already!?! I’m all for boosting GNP, but do I have to fight the holiday blues this soon? For many of us, this premature, picture-perfect presentation of hyped-up-happy times is either irritating as […]