My journal of big words and pretty pictures
Last March, my daughter called home early on a Sunday morning. A close friend from high school had taken her own life, and my daughter was inconsolable. There are so many unanswered questions, and days when the loss is still overwhelming. On November 16, my daughter and other former classmates are participating in a local … Continue reading Suicide prevention
Over the last few days, Mr. has been sorting through our many, old photo albums looking for past snaps of our kids in their Halloween costumes. While he had the photos out, I found a shot of the two of us at his graduation, a photo that to this day, is one of my favorites. … Continue reading Harlot
Each year the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of books banned, or challenged for removal, in libraries and classrooms. The main reasons for these challenges are because of parental concerns over what they consider inappropriate language, sexual content, violence, drug and alcohol use, and racism or religious intolerance. After perusing the … Continue reading I read banned books
I instinctively ducked away from the hand reaching toward me from the center of the jungle gym, and gracelessly face-planted on a t-joint of hard metal. Sitting in the dirt, I ran my tongue over my fractured front tooth, tasting the iron tang of blood where my incisors cut through my lip. I spit out … Continue reading Monkey in the middle
There are few extraordinary birthdays - when adding a digit to your age in childhood (often a once in a lifetime occurrence); when transitioning from teen into adulthood; and when reaching that half-century mark. I spent my 50th birthday with my firstborn, frolicking in rainbow dust and liquid sunshine, and jumping in kaleidoscope puddles of … Continue reading Extraordinary birthdays
When celebrities do something stupid, illegal, bonehead, offensive, tactless, socially unacceptable, (insert adjective du jour here) and we complain that they're only seeking media coverage while blasting their faux pas over every available news and social media outlet ad nauseam... then the terrorists win. Perhaps... if we just ignore them. Cut off their attention whore … Continue reading Train wreck rubbernecking
Thin spiral notebook 