All of my life I have been surrounded by too much time. To be clear, it isn't that the universe gave me extra hours in my days or added a few more years to my life; sadly, none of us will be granted these gifts. More precisely, I have always been surrounded by time's inevitable march... Continue Reading →
Love Can Never Disappoint
The day I truly became an adult I was 51 years old, walking with crutches as a bulky, heavily Velcoed boot covered my left foot. I was sitting with my father in Room 206 of a nursing facility in Liberty, New York on an icy-cold January day. One generally thinks of adulthood as arriving with... Continue Reading →
My Sixth Sense
Telling someone you have chronic pain is a bit like saying you see dead people. He or she will look at you in disbelief because while the statement may or may not be true (the only one who knows for sure is me), there is simply no way to prove it. I have had chronic... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Poetry and the Villanelle
April is National Poetry Month and so, of course, I could not allow the month to begin without writing a blog post that contains a poem. I wrote this poem a while back while I was experimenting with different poetic forms. But this is not just any poem, you see, this is a villanelle. What is a villanelle,... Continue Reading →
Basic Instincts Run Amok
Once upon a snowy Saturday, an innocent woman was faced with peril at the hands of her coworkers. I don’t want to mention her name, but she’s tall with curly graying hair and really loves cats. Okay, okay, it was me. I confess, already. Just be forewarned that what you are about to read is embarrassing but... Continue Reading →
Finding My Balance
I needed to find my balance. This wasn’t an existential crisis with which I was dealing. No, this had far more practical implications: I wanted to ride a bicycle. My brother Pete had a two-wheeler and after watching him and scores of other kids of all ages ride up and down the road on which... Continue Reading →
Bodily Function
Those of you who read this blog (and I sincerely thank all three of you) may have noticed that I haven't been posting much lately. There's a reason for this. I began this blog as an outlet for my struggles with weight, chronic pain, and my grief surrounding the death of my parents. At times, I... Continue Reading →
Random Thoughts on Resolutions
In my younger, more innocent and naïve years, I sat down every New Year's Eve with a pen and a fresh sheet of paper. I then proceeded to do what most people do on this most angst-producing, stomach-churning, headache-inducing day: I wrote down my resolutions for the upcoming year. To lose weight (duh). To stop worrying... Continue Reading →
Babies: To Have or Have Not
I’ve been surrounded by talk of babies lately. A couple readies themselves for the arrival of triplets. Another couple is in disagreement about whether to have a child. I am seated at a baby shower with two other women who talk of nothing but what their fully grown babies are doing. I listen attentively to... Continue Reading →