I am looking forward to having food in my fridge and a filled pantry. It’s been nine days since I last shopped; I’m down to one Lean Cuisine, one frozen pork chop, four microwaveable soups, and two yogurts long past their expiration dates. I am not looking forward to visiting the supermarket this morning. It […]
Winning (when it counts)
Winners and losers. Isn’t that how most people view the world? And usually, the “win” involves money, a title, and stuff. Along with the spoils of winning come reassurances that the basics in life will be taken care of, and a great deal more: satisfaction in your accomplishments, the realization of a dream, and maybe […]
Discipline
It is a holiday weekend in the US. Families are gathering, preparing picnics, watching Wimbledon (as I will be, shortly) or their other favorite sports. They’re preparing for foot races under a sizzling sun, for fireworks in the local park, for unwinding. They are slowing down. Pulling in. Taking a few days off. I am […]
Plane snoozing, peanut scooping, eye rolling (Why I love my kid)
Travel time This is my kid. Yes, he’s sleeping. Head down, on an airplane. How can he do that?? Dining out This was last night’s dinner. Out on the town. Shouldn’t everyone go gourmet when they travel? Appetizers This delightful appetizer was part of the ambiance last evening, with that fabulous burger and fries. “What […]
Why We Sweat the Small Stuff
When the small stuff adds up…
The Best Laid Plans
Our best laid plans? Life has other ideas.
My Son, the Office Worker
He’d managed to get his dirty clothes washed. Finally. But it took a phone call to his grandparents who live about an hour away. I imagine my son convincing his grandfather to fetch him, driving from their small town to the big city, and then back to their home for a family weekend of discussion […]
Can We Ever Truly Know Our Parents?
It’s Father’s Day. The first thing I did when I woke was go straight to the small framed Polaroid of my dad and me, taken on the last day I saw him. Father’s Day, nearly 25 years ago. There are a handful of other images tucked away. But that one, of the two of us, […]
Opposites Attract
It isn’t just about romantic relationships, though these are the most obvious examples. Opposites attract, and often thrive. Consider the couples you know – their physical or behavioral differences. Their widely divergent backgrounds. Now think about the facets of your own personality that you like the most, along with the traits you love in others […]
Father’s Day Gifts (Good, Better, Best)
Good gifts Digital SLRs. Flat panel TVs. Exotic watches. Cordless drills, wrench sets, any kind of tools. Grills, golf clubs, silk ties. These are good gifts, aren’t they? Maybe even fabulous gifts? This used to be the lexicon of my month of June – whatever the latest and greatest gifts might be – for the […]