Note: I was out of the country dodging bombs and bulldozers when Salon published Pro-life pharmacies in which Catherine Price quoted a pro-life pharmacist's lawyer saying,"The United States was founded on the idea that people act on their conscience -- that they have a sense of r… Read full post »

"Ride, Sally, ride." Wilson Pickett

Ask me about cars and I can't focus on the present. I have to go back to my first, best car -- a 65 Mustang. Considering my name and my Boomer status, this cannot come as a surprise to  anyone.

I loved that Mustang. Cobalt… Read full post »

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Anais Nin

They say life gives you only as much as you can handle. If that's true, my niece Karen is Mother Freakin Teresa.

It's hard to believe life's given her such heavy burdens. Not that she can't handle them. She's… Read full post »

"The concept is to get some frustrations off your chest, maybe find out you share them with others. Then, you'll be able to focus on the positive again." Blogger Leah

I need a break from serious issues. From the intellectual and emotional exhaustion of trying to interact with/… Read full post »

During my son's early childhood our summers were spent in a big rambling house at the Jersey shore. Right on the beach. Before man-made protective sand dunes obstructed the glorious ocean view. Before sports teams and camp and summer jobs and college took away the simplicity of warm… Read full post »

Imagine you're on vacation, sleeping peacefully in a hotel bed. Maybe you're having a nice dream. Perhaps your partner is snuggled up to you, making you sweat a little in the summer heat but adding even more peace to your last moments of sleep.

You wake up, get dressed,/… Read full post »

The picture above is from my niece's wedding last March in Israel. There's nothing like a wedding to bring people together. 

Our family's weddings in Israel do more than that -- they bring worlds together. I missed the latest one in February because I had surgery. I've finally gott… Read full post »

Father's Day at my house. As a child, a nightmare. Then, fortunately, a dream come true. Now a beautiful reality.

Although he died (wow) almost 50 years ago, I'm still unable to write about--or even discuss--my biological father. My stomach clenches just thinking of him. I truly fear if… Read full post »

"We control fifty percent of a relationship. We influence one hundred percent of it." Dr. Joyce Brothers

"My husband said he wanted to have sex with a redhead, so I dyed my hair." Jane Fonda

To state the obvious, I'm a fan of lists. They're compact, succinct, to the point./… Read full post »

"One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of twenty." AlexsLemonade.com

Every June since 8-year-old Alexandra Scott of Philadelphia lost her life to cancer, Alex's Lemonade Stand holds a summer campaign to raise money for research to cure pediatric cancer. In our… Read full post »

I watched. I choked up. I was uplifted. I was, as usual, impressed. The rest is about grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance.

And, I would add, keeping a sense of humor and perspective. Enough said.

    Read full post »

Normal vision vs encroaching Macular Degeneration

[Update: Today, June 6, 2008 is my mother's 85th birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom, we love you to pieces!]

It's time I told you about my interesting and accomplished family. Unfortunately, we've had more than our share of heartache, but we've al… Read full post »

Okay, now that you know where I stand on Hillary as VP, let me tell you why. Because it has nothing to do with how good she'd be at the job. We know she could do it in her sleep.

There's a much more important reason. We need Hillary Clinton in the/… Read full post »

Ah, the good old days. When Republicans weren't gouging us, playing with lives and pocketbooks -- especially of the disenfranchised.

Or further back, when you could expect the government to take care of its neediest citizens in an economic emergency. And ev/… Read full post »

Meme: "an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture." Merriam-Webster Dictionary

I've been following a blog trend called Memes. As defined above, a meme is the essence of viral community. By the way, meme is also French for "same."

Among bloggers,… Read full post »

"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half-shut afterwards." Benjamin Franklin

It's wedding season, that magical time when a lot of really big mistakes will be made. I'm not talking about ugly bridesmaid dresses. A  New York Times article called "Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish T/… Read full post »

I made my media bones in the 70's among some pretty impressive company. The likes of Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Johnny Apple, David Broder, even Walter Cronkite, to name-drop a few, contributed to my personal and professional growth. Of course I've got stories to tell.

I'm going to st… Read full post »

I'm not proud of this story, but I fear too many of us have similar ones, especially since 9/11.  So it's offered as an Object Lesson: no matter how much you believe you're a bona fide card-carrying Liberal, there are times your well hidden prejudices will jump up and bite you.

I/… Read full post »

Can you please crawl out your window?
Use your arms and legs it won't ruin you bobdylan.com: Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?

Memorial Day Weekend. The beginning of summer. A perfect time to remember, and share, one of the signal moments of my Boomer youth.

When I was/… Read full post »