Anyone looking for tragedy needs to, literally, do nothing but read, watch, and, god help you, scroll. It’s harder to find joy. If you are lucky enough to be in Western North Carolina this week, however, exuberant whimsey awaits you at the North Carolina Arboretum. There, you will find Trolls: A Field Study, a temporary…
It will not surprise you that I love reading book reviews, perhaps as much as I love reading books themselves. Every Sunday, I work my way through the New York Times’ Review of Books, taking note of books I’d like to read as well as those I firmly will avoid. I’d already noted Emma Straub’s…
Here in the US, today is Labor Day, a federal holiday which means most people have it off. It’s a holiday famous for parades, picnics, and parties and though it was designated to celebrate organized labor, for many it’s become a way to say goodbye to summer as well. (It is also the unofficial end…
The world is so often full of gloom and doom. Somedays, I find myself thinking ENOUGH ALREADY! There is so much to be joyful for! Let’s think about that for a change. So, I ask you, got any good news you’d like to share? I do. Our extended family took two vacations this summer and,…
I’m on a cruise where, at 61, I’m relatively young. One of the things that has been lovely–besides all the stunning views–is hearing the love stories and meet cutes of others on the ship. My favorite thus far is that of Gayle and Ken who are celebrating their 50th anniversary. Gayle said, “We were 20…
I’ve had two friends in the past week say they think people are becoming “more self-absorbed,” “ruder,” and “less empathetic.” A close family member said she feels like she needs to lower her expectations for others, even those she feels close to. I have recently a few exchanges with friends/family that have kinda shocked me–not…
I am so sorry for the phenomenal insensitivity and stupidity of today’s Ask. I had written it earlier in the week in a poorly thought out effort to connect romance to the wider world. It was dumb and horrible and, in retrospection, I wonder how I could have been so tone deaf. I have taken it…
I read an interesting–and to me, depressing–article in the New York Times yesterday about how the American flag itself is now considered by many a partisan symbol. The same is true for the 4th of July, one of this country’s most beloved holidays. Where I live, there is intense disagreement over how to celebrate the…
Update: Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Most of us are now living under shelter in place orders for at least the next month. For me, that’s meant a lot of one of one time with my spouse, more walks with my dog, and more cooking. How about you?
It is amazing how revealing and enlightening funeral celebrations can be. Long-held secrets may finally be shared. The truth of a particular situation is told. Long-simmering resentments are aired, or forgotten. Memories are resurrected. The nature of love is revealed. I experienced all of these things at my father’s funeral in 2012. These revelations brought…
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