Laundry, permission slips, school lunches, art supplies, driving lessons. Another SAT registration. More credit debt. Writing. More writing. Unpaid bills, unopened mail. Researching scholarships, colleges, college visits. Leaky roof, broken mower, burnt-out printer, dying cell phone. And? I’m dancing as fast as I can More writing, more writing, more writing. Another dose to fight anxiety, […]
Is Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?
Do we allow our comfort zones to hold us back to our detriment? When we face empty nest after long years of single parenting, will we have the courage to make big changes?
Teen Party Planner, the Mad Hatter, Down the Rabbit Hole
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 […]
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 […]
Angst and Addiction. So It Goes…
Sublime. That is the only way I can describe yesterday. Life’s delicious (and simple) surprises, sweeping away the worries for an hour here, an hour there. It’s all about a mother. And a magic hat. I was tapping out the tale just an hour ago, while sipping my favorite (extra bold) Italian roast. But cruel […]
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 […]
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 […]