Yesterday, my first day of the spring quarter, went great. I met all of my exercise and writing goals with time to spare. I even had a little extra energy left to organize a drawer in my daughter’s dresser that’s been bugging me for awhile. It was a good day. But I did make one […]
parenting
The Role of Martyred Mother is Not Being Played By Me
March is a busy month for music teachers. My husband, who is the sole band director in his high school, has had several big commitments: production week for the school musical; the musical weekend itself; the St. Patrick’s day parade in NYC. Naturally, as a result of his being out of the house more often, […]
Are You Prepared To Be 99?
My grandmother turned 99 last month. When she was born in 1919, life expectancy was just 52 years old. As a child, she could never have expected to live until 99; she might not even have met a 99 year-old person until she was much older. She wasn’t prepared for such a long life. Nor […]
“Best of Both Worlds” Podcast Run-Down
This week, the guest on Laura Vanderkam and Sarah Hart-Unger’s podcast “Best of Both Worlds” was– me! To those of you who are joining us from Laura’s or Sarah’s websites, welcome! I’m so excited to have you here, and hope you’ll stick around to read and comment on posts old and new. I’d also love for […]
Learn Your Family’s Love Language
Last fall, on the advice of the Happier podcast hosts, I finally read Gary Chapman’s classic book, The Five Love Languages. I put off reading it for so long because although I love books that help me know myself better, this book seemed cheesy and unnecessary. I know how to love myself, and I know […]
NaNoWriMo, Week 1
I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of National Novel-Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For those who are unfamiliar, this is a month-long event that takes place every November, in which participants challenge themselves (and each other) to write a full-length novel (50,000 words, approximately the length of The Great Gatsby) in thirty days. It’s an immensely […]