When I was growing up, May Day meant just one thing: having to practice dancing with boys who didn't want to make eye contact, never mind hold your hand and dance in a complicated pattern around a pole of colored ribbons.

Nicholas, the boy whose name inhabited crudely drawn… Read full post »

Following is an excerpt from "Motherhood," one of the twelve stories in my new book "Defending Happiness and Other Acts of Bravery" -- a perfect Mother's Day gift, if you will excuse my making a living. Enjoy!

Grandmother-hood is to motherhood as a grasshopper is to a Clysdale. I get… Read full post »

I have just returned from Beverly Hills, that sparkling universe where people have wheatgrass martinis for breakfast, and the Mercedes is the car their teenagers drive. I am from New York City, and we don't understand L.A.  We don't get it at the most fundamental level because you can't walk it.… Read full post »

Yesterday I began studying French. If you, dear reader, are ever in need of humility, I have an instant cure for you. Take up a foreign language. One is going along, repeating, puffed up over one's perfectly formed "ohm" --which , in this morning's foggy recollection has something to do with… Read full post »

In the spirit of full disclosure, I was not a fan of Whitney Houston's music. My musical tastes were, and remain, an indecipherable mash up of the mystical and wrenching tones of Sigur Ros sharing iPod space with Lady Gaga confections. I know Houston's songs, of course. One couldn't have been… Read full post »

I would not say often

I would not say often

as in, I think often of you.

I would say, more,

I think of you. When I do,

I go through the door of you

into light on a… Read full post »

The Apartment

In my mind, it is a cave

of sorts, lavish sunlight

streaks across wood boards,

unimpeded, free as Shakers

in their sequestered industry.

I see this, every day.

Keeping my heart

company, it makes it… Read full post »

Today I took my grandson with me to Target. I got him to go by promising to buy him another gel-based frog that he loves to stick to the windows of my convertible from his booster seat, while I try not to think about removing dozens of little frog footprints from… Read full post »

Word on the street is that Girl Scout cookies are back on sale tomorrow.

This will, no doubt, strike some as awful timing. Likely those for whom "losing weight" was the very first resolution made after the alcohol wore off. But to those savvy little Girl Scouts, the timing… Read full post »

I have been thinking a lot lately about how we answer what people don't say to us. 

Recently, I tried an experiment. Now, I should stop here and say I haven't always had the best of results with my experiments. Just ask my chemistry teacher or, more recently,… Read full post »

I have been thinking a lot lately about how we answer what people don't say to us. 

Recently, I tried an experiment. Now, I should stop here and say I haven't always had the best of results with my experiments. Just ask my chemistry teacher or, more recently, my hairdresser,… Read full post »

I was told Friday night that I was not "very cheery." The tone of voice with which this statement was delivered made it clear it was an accusation, and not the compliment I take it to be. I agreed, as it was not only true, but not a point one can… Read full post »