“Is ‘Hallelujah’ a Christmas song?” asks a friend. He has a doubtful look on his face. He heard the song as part of a Christmas compilation. Leonard Cohen aficionado that he knows I am, he figures I would have an answer. As a piece of music, ‘Hallelujah’ is a story all its own. The … [Read more...] about The Minor Fall/the Major Lift
The Stories We Tell Ourselves
West Side Story In another lifetime I lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The streets were funkier, gentrification on the rise, decades past the time and setting of the movie musical I love. I know pretty much every word to every song, and one of the cheap thrills of watching the new … [Read more...] about The Stories We Tell Ourselves
A muppet, a mouse, a fawn
When my daughter was young she had a favorite dress, white eyelet and lace, a special occasion dress that needed no special occasion for her to insist on wearing it. A pretty purple plaid, more suited to everyday school activities, would take its place, followed by a fancy for polka dots to … [Read more...] about A muppet, a mouse, a fawn
A Patch of Blue
A cloudy morning, the air cool and crisp against my face, the wind rippling the lake. My eyes fix on a patch of blue peeking between clouds. A year has passed since my last blog post. A pandemic that could not be willed away, coupled with the toxicity of a man whose name runs … [Read more...] about A Patch of Blue
On Hold: my corona diaries
The other day I got caught in the rain on my morning walk. More than a drizzle, less than a downpour. I don’t relish walking in the rain. I count on a 15-minute margin of error in timing my walks to the local weather forecast. Meteorology is only so precise. A neighbor passed … [Read more...] about On Hold: my corona diaries
Submit Surrender Retreat: my corona diaries
As a writer I think about words in all their nuance, music, use and misuse. I submit work in the hope of having it published. In this context, submission is a good thing. No pressure, except what I put on myself in terms of deadlines, not to mention the emotional underpinnings of rejection vs. … [Read more...] about Submit Surrender Retreat: my corona diaries
