("Don't Ask, Don't Tell" videos from The West Wing are below).

"No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend… Read full post »

 

"In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport." Julia Child

In homes around America, sports fans and ordinary people are ready for Super Bowl XLIV. Parties are organized, beer and booze ordered, snack menus prepared. Here in Philadelphia we'll be watching the game, but… Read full post »

"The pursuit of beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives." Albert Einstein

In a world where people are starving, out of work, under fire, fighting to stay afloat, suffering countless setbacks, you'd think our focus should stay on The Big… Read full post »

John Travolta's real --and metaphoric-- flight to Haiti carrying food, medical supplies, L. Ron Hubbard and a gaggle of his ministers started me thinking again about the Church of Scientology.

I had to ask, what's wrong with that picture? Something. Not sure what. Yet. But Mary… Read full post »

The Back Story
I don't remember the first time I cooked. Or any time I cooked, growing up. We had a person for that purpose, called Cook. Nannies too. I've said we lived a charmed life. Briefly. Like fantasy's apple, gleaming and beautiful on the outside, poisened… Read full post »

*** See update below. A wedding story for all. And Amy as Belle!

If anyone has noticed my absence, please don't take it personally. I've been stressed, overworked and cranky. You didn't do anything wrong. Nobody did. Not even me.

Sometimes life comes at us so hard we have… Read full post »

 
Me, my parents and my younger sister when 'Uncle Ted' came to dinner, circa 1959.

My Personal TV Connection
Long before American Idol and Simon Cowell encouraged ordinary people to make asses of themselves on national TV, a kinder, gentler program charmed the country. Aimed at showcasing… Read full post »

I don't do OS meta posts. I don't write them and I rarely read them. They are almost always a vehicle for bitching and moaning. For adding unsolicited two cents. (Except the valuable How-To's). I'm also on record as believing that all but the most lighthearted memes and open… Read full post »

Enough! This is a post I wrote in May. It's literally about life and death and courage and love. Read it. Please.

"This Is Not The End Of Your Life"

When I wrote this, we were thinking very positive thoughts. We're still trying. But. It's getting harder. And frankly,… Read full post »

 Ultimate Misogyny Poster Girl 

I never had a Barbie. But I did have a Bride Doll. I got such mixed messages as a child ... middle of three daughters, the last turned into a 'tomboy' by our disappointed, stong-minded father, allowed by our psychologist power-mother -- in that genera… Read full post »

Yes, life is hard. The world's a mess. We all have our share of real, sometimes serious problems. So does our planet. We'll be talking about them, debating them, tearing our hair out and watching what our country --and the world-- does to fix them as the new… Read full post »

"Ring out the old, ring in the new. The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true." Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alone on New Year's Eve? Okay, not the best situation, but really, not the worst either. Plenty of people are more… Read full post »

We don't usually watch the yearly Kennedy Center Honors show. Seemed just another celebrities-patting-themselves-and-each-other-on-the-backs award show. We watched Tuesday night. I realized we've been wrong.

You'll get the full reviews all over the place. This is my own personal t… Read full post »

Sue me, I like lists. Screw me, I'm a sucker for end-of-year wrap-ups. Still, putting together a Favorite OS Posts of 2009 briefly threw me into a "Sophie's Choice" panic. Too morbid and dramatic? Well, yeah. Maybe.

But hang on. Writing is sacred to me ... and to most of… Read full post »

"I got odor in special places," construction worker on Aspray ad

Well yeah, we all got odors. One man's answer got me sniffing with distain, until I started gagging. It's Doc Bottoms Aspray, advertised with possibly the worst infomercial in the history of the world. And that's saying s… Read full post »

Saturday Night, Dec 19, 10 PM  (Not a blurry pic, a natural whiteout).


Unless you've been living in a cave, you know the Eastern Seaboard got clobbered by a massive snowstorm this weekend.

The more South, the more snow. DC and Philly, two feet. NY and Boston, about a foot.… Read full post »

Company Memo

FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director

TO: All Employees

DATE: December 7, 2009

RE: Gala Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place December 23rd starting at noon at the Grill House. There will be a cash bar and plenty of… Read full post »

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. Just for the record, Hanukkah is a relatively minor religious Jewish holiday. But it's a major commemoration of historic triumph over tyranny and a joyous… Read full post »

After you watch this, come read my post:  Watergate, Carl Bernstein, The Smothers Brothers and Me

Woodward and Bernstein @The Washington Post (UPI / Bettmann)

"Carl’s a phenomenal jitterbugger. At parties in high school, we danced together. ... if I saw him in the nursing home and somebody put on Bill Haley, we could get up and do it again." Annie Groer, Washington Post reporter

Read full post »

 

Marketing experts know that generally speaking, there's a shopping gender gap. Women tend to enjoy shopping. Some know exactly what they want, get in and get out. Many find a leisurely browse, even if they buy little, quite satisfying.

Men typically dislike shopping. They become bore… Read full post »

               

Here’s a hypothetical question for you: If Tiger Woods had given an interview about his alleged sexual dalliances to a cable channel Tuesday night, would more people have watched that than the president’s networ… Read full post »

I've been reading articles all week about how to "cope" with Thanksgiving. I don't get it. This is by far the coolest --and warmest-- holiday of the year.

Thanksgiving is a paid day (or two) off from work and school. It's secular, non-dressy, no gifts are even involved.

The whole… Read full post »