In 1918, my great-grandmother, Frances Pengelski, was married with two babies under two years old, living in relative poverty in Brooklyn. I was fortunate to know my nana well. The year I […]
Lessons from Nana
Spaying and Neutering: It’s a Dog’s Life
“But it is an emergency,” I want to say, or rather wail, as the woman on the other end of the phone says goodbye. No, this isn’t about COVID-19 or any other […]
Social Distancing is My Middle Name
*Note: This was written on March 10. A lot has changed in a week. Long before COVID-19, I practiced social distancing. In fact, I practice self-isolation most of the time now, […]
How Saving Monarch Butterflies Prepares You for Covid
I got into raising monarchs by accident, but once I saw the many threats to this not-quite-endangered species, I purposely set about learning all I could to help keep their population healthy […]
Cherish, Dream, Live
I have been in absolute panic mode now for almost a full week. The health scares in the news are perfectly designed to hit dead-center in the Venn diagram that comprise my […]
The Weight Dilemma
The first time my mother disparaged my weight, I was thirteen. I wore a size 7. My best friend and I were shopping, finding outfits for the fashion show our dramatic choir […]
Set Your Car on Fire!
My mother gave up driving fifteen years ago. She gave it up because she no longer wanted to navigate the terrible traffic congestion in the Dallas metroplex area. She got tired […]
Five Things Driving Has Taught Me About How to Take Things Less Personally
When I drive, I tend not to take things personally. Interestingly, my practice in doing this on the road translates very well into how not to take things personally in my life.
How to Leave A Legacy Without Knowing It
In 1981 my dad pulled our sky blue K car wagon into the Corrine gate at the naval base in Orlando, Florida. This would be our home. He served his final post […]
Dear Sister: A Gratitude Letter
Dear Sister, A friend is doing a gratitude diary and it’s been helping her a lot, so I thought I’d try as well. I believe in the practice of gratitude, have seen […]
The Gloria Sirens 