June 3rd, 2018 → 5:46 am
Europe (and Canada and Mexico and all our allies) must be asking themselves right now, with friends like the U.S., who needs enemies? Trump is so wrong on so many things it makes my soul cry. And I’m afraid the worst burn to the U.S. is yet to come.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians & Stupid/Evil People
May 26th, 2018 → 5:15 am
Benedict Cumberbatch is my new hero, for saying he will boycott any project that does not pay female co-stars the same as their male co-stars. He is urging other actors to do the same. And if that isn’t enough, apparently he is a “fervent feminist.” I don’t think I’ve had this big a crush on an actor since Michael J. Fox and Back to the Future!
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
May 20th, 2018 → 5:45 am
Yes, I watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle yesterday. As it happens, my son woke up early too and we watched it together – that was fun! God bless the new couple, and may they enjoy years of happiness together.
May 18th, 2018 → 5:45 am
I made a new friend yesterday afternoon, and then met up with an old friend after work for coffee. A medium friend (what do you call someone who isn’t a new friend or an old friend, but a recent friend of 2-3 years??) I found out is leaving the United States at the end of summer and moving to the Netherlands; I don’t know when I’ll see her again. Friends come and friends go, they give pleasure and sadness, and if I could grasp some of them with hoops of steel, believe me, I would.
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
May 7th, 2018 → 5:54 am
The semester is ending, the weather is turning, neighbors are moving, colleagues are retiring, change is afoot. I feel the need to grasp onto something steady, heavy, and strong. As the rivulets of life rush past, cool, wet, and murky, I look into the waters and consider. And sigh. And then, as a yellow butterfly winks past, I slip off my shoes and step into the stream and enjoy.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
May 1st, 2018 → 6:20 am
It broke my heart to read about the letter a woman wrote to her husband, just before she was put on the trains to Auschwitz. It is amazing the letter survived the Holocaust at all; it is even more astonishing how love, it seems, can shine through anything.
April 25th, 2018 → 6:47 am
All countries make mistakes. Treatment of the Windrush generation is definitely one of the UK’s.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
April 22nd, 2018 → 6:44 am
It’s Shakespeare’s birthday sometime this week (we don’t actually know the exact day), and in the interest of saluting the bard, I’m quoting some of his pithiest advice. There are some really good nuggets in there. Hard to pick a favorite, but… today maybe it’s… ‘Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.’
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art & Other
April 14th, 2018 → 6:44 am
This quote reminded me of my mother, who was famously bad at small talk. A woman in an elevator once said to my mother, “Nice weather we’re having.” To which she replied, “I find that insignificant.” Ah, my mother… A flawed but fierce woman, whom I miss terribly….
[Note: “leaping houses” refers to brothels, and “dials” to sundials]
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
April 7th, 2018 → 6:19 am
“Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art translated.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
I just finished reading Reni Eddo-Lodge’s book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. It’s a good book. Well written, compelling. Yes, it’s also uncomfortable at times (for me particularly, the section on white feminism), but it presents the kind of discussion the world needs to be having today. I am so very grateful my black son has Barack Obama to look up to, and Wakanda to dream about, and a mixed community that is (relatively) welcoming. But it’s no use denying that racism still exists, and we need more people to read more books like Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race.
Filed under: Blog