Rage Anger? Nah, I am so past anger. What’s next up the spectrum….disgust….paralysis? Nope, that one isn’t strong enough either. Rage. Yeah, that’s the one. White hot, steaming out of my eyeballs, spittle in the corner of my mouth, seething, soul paralyzing, blinding rage. It was exactly 12 months ago that I was cruising blissfully…
Good Girls DO
Good girls…. Don’t. Don’t what? Wear short skirts? Go to bars? Have good sex? Eat chocolate? Say no? What exactly is “good?” I have visions of virgins floating in the etherea, blindly obeying the dictates of their parents, forgoing all temptation until they are metaphorically plucked by their future husband, deflowered and expected to transition…
Goodbyes in a time of Pandemic
My grandmother used to say that the more she learned about people, the more she liked her dog. Its funny, as I sit here in this pandemic, considering my relationships and the ones that are most pivotal or changed or profound during this time….and mine is with my dog, and my heart is breaking. How…
I’m Tired.
I’m tired. My body is tired from carrying four years of tension. My soul is tired from being slowly, methodically drained of joy and hope. My intellect is tired from reinventing, pivoting, adapting and being responsible. My smile is tired from putting on a happy face. My heart is tired of pouring out love and…
Put the Kettle On
“Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea.” Henry Fielding Tea traditions run deep in the veins of my family. We keep our tea in a tin. We drink our tea in the morning, midday, afternoon and evening. Perhaps our levels of caffeine change, and we are open to new things. Be clear, though,…
“Retirement” – the New Four Letter Word
Retirement. For those of us born between WW2 and the Vietnam war, the idea of retirement has been a much-anticipated rite of passage. I’ve been thinking a lot about retirement lately, and realize that with the thinking comes a lot of four-letter words – plan, save, work, care, home, self, and a few that I…
Stay humble, except when you are right to brag a little…
Oh boy. Humility. It’s one of those commandments that reminds us that we must be humble because we cannot serve the Lord if our hearts are full of pride. Dictionaries juxtapose the concept of humility with arrogance and pride. Should we be modest, meek, and unassuming? How can we be humble in a world where…
The Subtle Art of the Curse Word
Anyone who has watched Downton Abbey will remember the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) saying, “Vulgarity is no substitute for wit.” Don’t get me wrong. I support the use of an occasional zinger. In fact, I probably have a swear-word vocabulary that rivals most teenagers (or sailors). However, I implore you to consider the…
The Big “M”
““Oh, honey, I’ve got a fan blowing on me all day long, even when it’s 30 outside,” says my new friend at a recent cocktail party. “Yeah, that radiation starts in my belly and grows out to my fingers!” laughs another. A third, helpful friend leaps into a monologue about how great black cohosh can…
Pink
My world has always been pink. Whether by social program or by personal choice, until marriage, my world was pink. Not Steel Magnolias pink, but every shade of girlie pink, mixed with yellows and peach. Yep. My childhood was a MaiTai, and not the fun one. Living baby tender love taught me to nurture. Barbie…
Orchids and Cabbages 