Blog Posts

A week in which I transformed into an iguana: paralyzed by the arctic blast. I’m the first to cheer when the temperatures drop into the sixties, and even the fifties (nothing like a vigorous walk without having to shower off again ), but wind chills in the twenties are a bit more than I bargained for. Especially now that, after eleven years, my blood has officially thinned. While I’m not falling out of trees or being rescued from the middle of the road, I am spending lots of

A week in which I hit a wall. I’ve been in or near tears daily, my privilege feels repellent, and it all seems so crushing. My anger is close to the surface and I’m beginning to fuel my refusal to give up with spite rather than optimism. And I’m doubling down on that refusal. Ways I Found Joy This Week Hosting a girls’ movie night Joining PEN America in the fight against book banning (you can, too: Don't Censor America - PEN America  ) Receiving a copy of the latest book by o

A week in which I doubled down on my resolve to resist by shining a light on joy. It is  always darkest before the dawn, and I am convinced dawn is around the corner. After which we’ll have lots of work to do, so let’s pace ourselves.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Making two more great library hauls Enjoying a fabulous deep tissue massage Laughing out loud at a comedy special Switching my BlueSky feed from “Following” to “Discover”, and counterbalancing the grim realities of o

A week of sprinkling in joy as I returned to the outside world and a semblance of routine.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Being feted by the nurses for “graduating” from my year of monthly shots that actually reversed osteoporosis Receiving two moving personal notes from readers of Rising Hosting the first ladies’ movie night of the year at my place Stopping for a chat with the elderly man down the street whose authentic positivity is an inspiration and whose smile lights up th

A week in which I further honed my perspective and began a slow return to “normal”.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Connecting with far-flung friends to exchange New Year greetings Taking my first outdoor walk in weeks and savoring the fresh air and sunshine of a (rare) 60-degree day Spontaneously laughing so hard and long with the CWP that we were both clutching our stomachs and wiping away tears Taking the patient  to have his feeding tube removed and getting clearance to st

Thinking about being grateful to be on the mend and bulking up This begins my new “week in review” format. Herewith, the Isolation Edition. I’m happy to report that the patient  is steadily improving. Because he has a tube dangling from a hole in his neck (and because he is a menace), I’m unable to leave him. With the CWP  away on a dog sitting gig, this means I’m confined to the house. I’m finding it very reminiscent of quarantine : the dawning recognition that I’m captive,

I’m sure it’s just frequency illusion (like when you decide you might like to buy a red car, and suddenly red cars are everywhere), but lately I seem to be haunted by this advice. If you want to fight the despair engendered by our inexorable descent into fascism and corruption… If you want to grow… If you want to save the planet… If you want to find peace… If you’re suffering from burnout… If you want to leave a legacy behind… …create more and consume less. Of course, the see

This week I’m thrilled to announce that, over the weekend, I finished the final edit of the manuscript for my forthcoming book Rising:...

Some time ago, I shared my recipe for an exceptional day . Now, just back from a week-long trip to New England, it seems I’ve hit on the...

There was a time when I would have said that I was definitely not a procrastinator: if something needed to be done, I got right on it....

It seems that remaining steadfast in my resolve to find joy and purpose as democracy continues to dissolve is becoming an almost...

A big part of my daily life of late has been making an effort to stave off the negative effects of aging. Ironically, this is one...

Seems it’s that time again, where the lists are clamoring to be shared. This time around, the nautical definition of the term listing (...

Recently I requested your ideas for overcoming (or at least surviving) the previously unimaginable level of inhumanity, corruption, and...

It’s probably a combination of my, ahem, attentional deficits and my advanced age, but I’ve never adapted to using the calendar on my...

On one of my walks through downtown last week, I noticed a higher than usual number of dogs in strollers (something I’d never seen until...

The current climate (also known, on days when I’m less stable, as “the shitstorm we’re living through”) has me really leaning into a...

Those of you who are aware of my historical relationship with the holidays  may be surprised to learn that, despite a year filled with...

This year has been the mother of all time warps. A mashup of Groundhog Day and Back to the Future. Each of the days spent visiting my mother in rehab or languishing on the couch with a fractured spine lasted at least a week. And yet wasn’t it just yesterday that a shiny new year was starting? A year that held so much promise? Not gonna lie. For me, this year has been one of the most difficult in a while and I’ll be happy to get some distance from it. We’re already back to the

As I enter my fourth week of extremely limited movement thanks to my latest gift from the Universe, my gratitude list is topped by my...