My propensity for nostalgia hits full swing in Autumn. October in particular seems to activate a melancholic side; the season’s fragile cusp between warmth and chill, between light and dark. I am moodier. I am reminded of endings. Then I give myself a good swift kick, and remember that for every ending, there is a […]
Dear AdSense: I think we’re breaking up.
Dear AdSense, Yes, we met online. Yes, you were my first. Oh, that’s a special relationship – the first. It’s a tiny bit overwhelming. It’s memorable. Playful. And of course, there can be misunderstandings. I had a lot to learn. It was one of those older man-younger woman things, you know? I plunged in with […]
Linger in a pleasing dream? Why not?
When you’re a challenged sleeper, even 30 more minutes of sleep can make the difference between an energized day and a long, difficult one. And when you love to dream, the idea that you could extend and linger in your cunningly conspiratorial unconscious is delicious, isn’t it? Yesterday I came across a Woman’s Day article […]
The Forest for the Trees
We were pressed for time. Again. While my son finished dressing and filling his backpack, I put a plate of fried eggs and toast on the table. Orange juice next to it. I paced a little. I hate running late. He swallowed down breakfast and gulped the juice, grabbed his things, asked for the car […]
How to Tell a Friend the Truth (When it Hurts)
Did you attend the Fletcher School of Diplomacy? No? How about the Parental School of Hard Knocks? The Dating School of Hard Knocks? Any of these might serve as some assistance. You know – in those sticky situations when a friend needs to hear the truth. A hard truth. One that will hurt, and there’s […]
The life behind the face
I am the face of the aftermath of divorce, the aftermath of layoff, the aftermath of defeat. I am the face of invisible illness, of piercing isolation, of daily hide-and-seek. Would you know me if you saw me? I am your neighbor, your colleague, your sister; I am the woman who yells at the cashier […]
Sink or Swim
Fond of clichés? Don’t they breeze into our minds and tumble out of our mouths faster than a speeding bullet? Catchy little phrases stick, don’t they? Good for what ails you? A quick fix? Oh yeah – tidy gems to sum up the world’s wisdom, like life isn’t fair, you get what you pay for, […]
Why I need to take up drinking
Two nights ago I mixed my first martini, ever. It was cool. It was hot. It was dirty. One slosh of vermouth. Three similar sloshes of vodka. A little olive brine, straight from the jar. Crushed ice (shaken and stirred?). Okay. Did I ever say I mixed martinis like a seasoned bartender? Trust me. It […]
The Travel Twin
I really don’t have an evil twin. It just feels like it some days. And then there’s this: I think an evil twin would come in handy. Of course, I would endow her with a complex persona, not just character flaws and secret longings. She’d be my polished pinch-hitter (for whatever I dislike), my cocky […]
Where everyone knows your name
Cheers Bar It was afternoon. Late. I had to get out of the house. See people. Something different. Anything. And it was Friday. I had been chicken a week earlier. Unable to talk myself into an elegant bar just 20 yards in front of me. I wasn’t going to be chicken again, but I needed […]