On February 5th, 2022, Trayvon Martin would have been 27 years old. February 26th marks the 10th anniversary of his tragic and senseless murder in Sanford, Florida. It is hard to believe a whole decade has passed. It is Black History Month in the U.S., and in a way, my awakening of an aspect of […]
“Presente!” Breath, Folding Chairs and Playing Your Best Read More »
When I was a waiter in a fairly high-end place, it was the only time I ever found any use for Valentine’s Day. Usually, there was an overpriced special menu, lots of champagne, and I made a ton of money. The restaurant was mobbed. Best of all, I had a good excuse to avoid the
Happy V Day: Heartbreak, Mothers and Vulvas Read More »
Instantly a tight pit seized up deep in my stomach, hearing the heavily accented 92-year-old voice on the radio. I did not realize it was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945. The voice belonged to Eva Schloss, the step-sister of Anne Frank, whose famous diary
“Are more famous people dying these days, or am I just more aware of it?” I asked my husband the other day. I had just heard the news of the passing of Vietnamese Buddhist luminary Thich Nat Hanh. Although I am not a student of his, several very close friends are, and I have always
Lost and Found – Trauma, Poverty and Chile’s First Dog Read More »
Certain words I have torn out of my personal lexicon and just tossed. One of those is “stuck.” It is not allowed in my office either. True, sometimes progress is so slow as to be frustratingly imperceptible, but I don’t believe it has stopped and is certainly not cause for giving up. I was once
Stalled but Not “Stuck” – Slogging, Baking and Care Read More »
I remember once, I had a garbage can-sized bin full of old papers, tax records, client files much older than the seven-year legal time requirement, junk mail, newspaper clippings, and who knew what else. The very idea of shredding and disposing of them completely overwhelmed me. I would walk into the room with the closet
Time Immemorial: Numbing, Slogging, Aging Through the Years Read More »
When I first heard of Chef Jose I felt a surge of excitement, awe and longing. Jose Andres, born in Spain, and immigrated to the US as a young man, soon made a name for himself as a celebrity chef, opening several highly acclaimed restaurants and winning prestigious awards in the highly lucrative world of
Not Bread Alone: Weight, Wait and Regulation Read More »
When I complained that other kids got money for doing chores or even getting good grades, I remember our dad used to say, “I want you to be good for nothing!” He thought it was funny. I didn’t think so and soon started going out and finding babysitting jobs. In those days the going rate
Making Something Out Of “Nothing”: Patchwork Quilts, Ricotta and Traumatic Growth Read More »
“Two country people were fishing in a river. As they fished and talked, they saw a child floating down the river dangerously close to the rushing waterfall. Fearing the child would drown, one of them jumped in the river and brought the child safely to the bank. But soon there was another child floating down
Pandemic – An Upstream Look At #MeToo Read More »
My first book, published in 2010, was a sorry child of neglect. At that time, I lacked the knowledge, the wisdom, and most of all the confidence to do any promotion at all. Ironically, there is also a measure of humility required, it would be a magical belief to assume that “my child, however exceptional,
Practicing What I “Preach” – Voice, Spine and Announcing My New Book Read More »