Risky business

Driving to work the other morning, I heard a story on NPR about a movement presently gaining traction in the midwest - risky play. This unstructured free play, which has been present and promoted in Canadian schools for decades, is thought to foster communication and cooperation between participants, two actions I believe we can all agree should … Continue reading Risky business

My Dublin home

Most people, I think, believe that restaurants are a place to spend some time and take a meal. I suppose for many this is the basic truth. For those folks, though, I feel sad because a quality experience in a restaurant is about so much more than what goes into your mouth. I’ll give you … Continue reading My Dublin home

Another peek into the annex – Ruth Franklin’s The Many Lives of Anne Frank

It’s been about 80 years since Anne Frank died, yet her brief life remains an inspiration to people around the globe. While her assertion that “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart,” at times rings as nothing but naively innocent, her ability to hold onto to this optimistic … Continue reading Another peek into the annex – Ruth Franklin’s The Many Lives of Anne Frank

The Last Showgirl

There’s been a lot of press about the new Pamela Anderson film, one in which she displays a genuine talent for performance rather than just her physical attributes. Thanks to yesterday’s Lunar New Year holiday from school, I finally had an opportunity to catch the movie at its sole late afternoon showing at my neighborhood … Continue reading The Last Showgirl

20 Things to do (instead of acknowledging the ceremony in D.C.) on 1/20

Listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Honor Michelle Obama’s refusal to attend the inauguration* by reading her memoir Becoming. Screen a David Lynch marathon. Spend some quality time with your tweezers in a mirror with good lighting. Write a check to an organization you believe in - Planned Parenthood, the Damien … Continue reading 20 Things to do (instead of acknowledging the ceremony in D.C.) on 1/20

Kingsolver is my Queen

I am in the midst of a royal obsession - reading and/or listening to Barbara Kingsolver’s entire catalog of work. Currently, I’m listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a book I read many years ago with some resentment. I mean, how wonderfully privileged must one be to be able to leave one state and travel to another … Continue reading Kingsolver is my Queen