He didn’t ask for anything in writing, though I anticipated he might. We’d had a running disagreement over a tree, the need for it to come down, the fact that it sat just over the line on my property but was threatening his. Then there was the financial issue – the real crux of the […]
54-Year Old Writer, 86-Year Old Painter, 31-Year Old Cutie: Action Update
Some months back, after reading Barbara Hannah Grufferman’s column on women using their anger to good ends, I wrote a post daring you – and myself – to stand up and speak out when faced with social injustice. And I dared you to do more than that. To pick something, and act on it. I’ve […]
Sometimes the Gods Smile
When Kelly Miller called me and was cryptic about the reason, I was concerned. Almost as quickly as she began to speak, she excused herself and said she’d get back to me. Later that evening, her sister Ashley called. She wasn’t cryptic. She wanted to say hello, and to let me know that Medicaid was […]
Men, Sex, and the 7-Second Rule
This was too amusing to pass up. Aren’t we all tremendously relieved to know that men do not in fact think of sex every 7 seconds? It turns out, it’s at somewhat more graspable intervals. Apparently, men have a sex flash something like once every hour or so. Once every 1.26 hours, to be precise. […]
Best Gifts Ever
Shopping season? Mais oui! Yes, I realize we’re still nibbling our turkey leftovers, but I admit I’m contemplating the giving season. I’ve surrendered to a modest amount of virtual shopping in the past days, and this morning I was recalling the best gifts ever. Naturally, I have a few items snow-shoeing their way through my […]
Fiddling
He considered himself a fiddler, a military man, and I knew him as a wonderful storyteller. His passion for life was contagious, but his greatest passion was for music. For some reason, I’ve been thinking about my grandfather this weekend. Perhaps it’s because I’m planning on fiddling around, just a little. ‘Tis the season to […]
Gratitude is Great, But THEN What?
Yesterday many of us expressed our gratitude – some with family, some with friends, and others, on their own and in their own way. But what comes after the gratitude? Are you still digesting your meal, and the midnight snack that you couldn’t resist before bed? Are you running to the stores in pursuit of […]
I Thought This Would Be Easier
I thought this would be easier, but I’m struggling. I had planned to write my “Five Year Plan” in keeping with Kristen’s wonderful idea to reflect on our past, our present, and our futures so we may also recognize how fortunate we are to have a future. And in doing this, to spread the word […]
Five Years Back, Five Years Forward
Yesterday, Kristen at Motherese offered a wonderful glimpse into her life – looking back at her past five years and how much her world has changed. Her personal journey has taken her from teaching school in New England to becoming a writer and mother of three little ones, living in the Midwest. As a teacher, […]
Big Hearts Make a Big Difference
A few days ago I wrote about Ashley Quiñones, and her need for a kidney transplant. With the daunting prospect of raising the remaining $234,000 for this critical surgery, I can’t imagine what she must feel, or what her family feels. And you’ve all been stepping up to the plate – with your big hearts […]