I Have that degree Somewhere For somebody with a college degree, I am one who understands very few of any of the devices upon which I rely.* That’s why The Way Things Work by David Macaulay — among many of his illustrated books —was such a practical tutorial for...
Wokeness is a new adjective; it can be pejorative or approving. a state of being aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality: His latest record displays his wokeness. Cambridge Dictionary In some ways it’s like the old adjective “hip”—...
A pianist friend confided that what she sees in musical composition changes over time—when she looks at sheet music, especially ones she has loved and played over the years. What she saw in the score at age 18 changed when she was 35 in the exact same sheet music....
Looking back over last year’s journal entries and blog posts, I was blissfully UNAWARE of what was barreling our way.* Doug wasn’t. He bought the last gallon of hand sanitizer in the drug store, and ordered masks and gloves by the end of January February 2020 Then,...
Virtual Learning and the Lessons I learned in 2020: Two recurring lessons from 2020 will carry over into 2021: Learn to live with disappointment – gratefully You have a lot left to learn, princess! The trick has been to stay teachable, because I am seasoned citizen....
Congratulating us on surviving September, the Facebook meme welcomes us to the 10th level of Jumanji. It evokes a laugh: the times feel like we have been trapped into a dangerous place, a bit like a crazy board game. Even though all around me looks familiar, little...
Getting back to normal used to mean unpacking from a vacation; or, putting away Christmas decorations and heading into a new year. It was a bittersweet necessity. Now getting back to normal is almost an impossible dream. Returning to the way our life was mid-March...
Eleven years ago, I “published” my first blog piece. I began it after four years into an unanticipated relocation, from “the Free state,” to the Lone-Star state. The organizing principle was gardening, tethered to a favorite quote from a favorite actor: “If you have...
When did I first ask myself, why am I so slow? Well, my moving slowly isn’t the fault of COVID-19. I am slow because I am OLD . . . but cute. I don’t remember when I realized how I’ve slowed down, but it isn’t just because I am not venturing forth. You walk like an...
My days are no more uncertain than the ones my mother or grandmothers lived. However, they feel more dangerous than any previous time in my life, because of so much anger and ignorance. Therefore, the decision to turn off the news, and listen to biographers and great...
Sometimes a recovering drama queen can benefit from a few real life lessons that a real queen learned in dangerous, uncertain times. The quiet of tonight’s walk was broken by the sound of an airplane making its approach to BWI. Do you know how many weeks it has been...
Bob Ross, whose relaxed 30-minute painting sessions from the ‘70’s on PBS still fascinates me, declared, “There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” Yet, Anton Chekov asserted, “In art, as in life, there is nothing accidental.” Well, twenty-nine days into social...
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