swing and a miss: part one
Some years back (I won't say exactly when, in order to protect the innocent – chiefly myself), I found myself in a new and long-term social situation. In these circles, there was one particular woman who I could tell didn't like me, right from the get-go. I was never sure exactly why, but the…
service
This spring, my stepfather, Ron, was called to serve another tour of duty in Iraq, where he serves with a team of other medical personnel on an Army base there. Last weekend, he was issued a welcome two-week leave. After allowing a few days for my mom and Ron to enjoy his arrival home, I joined…
strings attached
I'm going to try something a little different today. If you are reading right now from an iPhone or other device that does not have sound (or good sound), wait until you are somewhere that does have suitable sound. If you do not wish to wait, please click here instead, to read about the virtues…
tabloid
I'll give you the disclaimer up front: this post is likely only for the more stalwart and thick-skinned reader who is honestly open to real change. A MESS • TRAMP • LOSER • PSYCHO • BAD MOTHER • AUTO-TUNED • TERRIBLE ACTRESS • MAN STEALER • SPOILED • PLASTIC • DOUBLE DIVORCÉE • DRUGGIE • DITZ •…
aiming for happy
In a previous post, entitled "carlotta's wisdom," I shared with you three pieces of excellent advice passed on to me by my dear friend Carlotta, who has since passed. One was this: If you're expecting someone else to make you happy, you never will be. Shortly thereafter, in "the making of mad," I…
quotes
A handful of readers may have seen this image and title before. That is because it was briefly posted as the jump-off point for another post, which wound up being renamed, "out of the box" – about my dear friends Jon and Kayla and the unique treat of a birthday present they gave me a couple of…
hair
Picture it. Sicily. 1912. A six-year-old boy sits to have his picture taken, the three different plaids of his shirt, pants and clip-on tie competing with his houndstooth jacket, daring the camera to focus. His pudgy little hands are plopped in his lap. He smirks and scrunches his neck down…
glow
In yesterday's post, "sound and light," I told you about Ricky – the blind teenager that my sister and I took to "see" fireworks when we were only teens ourselves. A new friend of mine had this to say in response: No one really gets how fortunate we are sometimes. I just finished saying,…
sound and light
Last night, I joined the best people for food and fireworks in Marshfield, by the ocean. Unlike many towns, Marshfield has taken to allowing private citizens to light their own fireworks along the shoreline. Not sparklers and bottle rockets, mind you. Real, honest-to-goodness fireworks. And…
hypothesis
I woke this morning to find a text waiting: Dear Erik: I love you. In my stunted, lopsided, entirely sincere and unapologetic way, I do. Also, I fear that you are overworked. This was from a male friend. It got me thinking. In some form or other, I hear "I love you" an awful lot. I am hugged an…