Some years, the holidays seem like they’re more trouble than they’re worth. Bringing everyone together in one place can result in exactly what we don’t want this time of year – aggravation, anger and adolescent acting out. Instead of the memories from our youth or some lovely Hollywood movies we’ve seen, the holidays can be …
Over the past day or two, a friend and I have been exchanging texts about racism. He and I are both nice, white liberal guys who are struggling with all of the changes happening in our society, especially on the woke left. We found an area where we vehemently disagree and it has caused a …
Someone told me it’s all happening at the zoo. I do believe it. I do believe it’s true. Paul Simon’s “At the Zoo” Today, I had to jump out of bed to avoid my mind’s desperate attempt to convince me that I have no worth in this world. Yeah. Read that again. Beth was asleep …
In November, we are featuring three guest writers who have submitted pieces on “Gratitude”. We will post these throughout the month. Next month’s subject is “Holidays” and everyone is welcome to submit a non-fiction piece. Send your essays to [email protected] by November 30, 2022. What I Learn from Marley Boy by Melissa S. “What have …
Dear Scott, Bradley here. I thought it might be a good time to check in and see how you’re doing a few weeks after I left town. For anyone who has not been reading this blog, I’m Scott’s dog. Well, I was until he and Beth asked that horrible veterinarian, Dr. Haims, to euthanize me. …
In yesterday’s post about winter in the Catskills, I neglected to mention something important. I’m scared about how it might be when there’s lots of ice and snow here. Will I be cold in this home with radiant heating? Will the people who are supposed to plow the driveway come on time so that we …
November is here. As a northeasterner, it’s long been a month of preparation for the coming cold and a time to build fires (real and metaphorical) to keep the body and spirit warm until Spring. I miss the wood stove we had in our Yorktown Heights, NY home. For nearly two decades, chopping wood and …
We’re in Pennsylvania! Driving here, my body remembered the feeling I get when I’m ten minutes away from the endpoint, when I never gave over the wheel to Beth, and it consequently feels like twenty minutes instead of ten. It’s not one of my favorite traveling memories. Still, I love being on the road. I …
In my last post, I talked about where Beth and I might spend the holidays. The answer, as of last night, is in the land of my birth – Westchester. It’s gonna be a family thing. Apparently, my stepfather, Jim, voiced his opinion that he is looking forward to Thanksgiving. He said this from a …
I like some traditions, but a lot of them have become progressively harder to enjoy. For example, I typically love the Jewish tradition of sitting Shiva, but I almost always dislike wakes. Evidently, I’m picky about how I approach death. I’m also picky about Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions. While I love expressing gratitude, hugging those …