My first summer out of college was a rude awakening. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, a Los Angeles suburb once known for orange groves and wide, open fields where they used to film Westerns. Our neighborhood was full of children. As soon […]
In the midst of Passover, a week-long holiday commemorating the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery, I’m having a little fun with the idea that Passover is the Jewish Easter. Well, if you were wondering, I can tell you it’s definitely not. However, there is […]
Early reports suggest the 2018 Academy Awards show had the lowest ratings ever. The pundits tell us it’s because viewers are tired of movements, political commentary, and perceived Hollywood elitism. They opine that the show is too long, the speeches boring, the jokes juvenile and predictable. 
As for me, I watched the entire four plus hours. And I enjoyed parts of the show. A few moments were even cheer-worthy. Of course, gorgeous gowns and stunning jewels always hold my attention.
But overall, fans just aren’t very excited about the Oscars anymore. And I think I know why . . . (more…)
I’m not usually one to write about headlines, but this past week I’ve had trouble thinking about, and certainly writing about, anything else. The school shooting in Florida haunts me. It is yet another reminder that I, a mother, cannot always protect my children. No […]
It’s Murphy’s law of pet emergencies – if your dog or cat or bunny is going to get sick, it most likely will occur on a Sunday, because if something is going to be upsetting and inconvenient, it might as well be expensive, too… Such […]
Who says a Jewish girl can’t enjoy Christmas? I LOVE Christmas ~ the smells, the songs, the decorations. My mother loved Christmas, too. When I was little we made Spritz butter cookies every year. We decorated half with blue and silver sprinkles and the other half with red and green. We listened to Christmas music. We toured Santa Claus Lanes all over the San Fernando Valley – houses dripping with colored lights, lawns covered with fake snow, and roofs sporting Santa and his reindeer. In the back seat of the car, I’d sip my hot chocolate, oohing and ah-ing at every display. (more…)
It’s taken me a long time to write about this. Every time I sat down to do it, I fell short. I wrote in circles. I lost direction. It’s difficult to tell a story that is intensely personal, and so I’ve been avoiding it. Then […]
It’s been a year . . . 365 days . . . a whole bunch of hours and thousands of minutes, since my mom died. In some ways, it’s gotten easier, moments in which the intensity of loss dissipates, like a drop of black ink […]
When people find out a person is a writer, they’re intrigued. They ask questions. What do you write? Where do your ideas come from? Are you published? Do you have an MFA? Where can I read your work? Are you rich and famous? (more…)
I’m lucky! My husband has cousins who live in New Zealand, and over the years, we’ve visited a number of times. Every trip promises many adventures, and I always come away with new stories.