With references so casual and unassuming we have to pause a moment to let their astounding nature sink in, our friend Hsing-Yi can stop a conversation cold. "Oh, yes, that happened to me on the Amazon," she once chuckled in solidarity, as we ladies-at-lunch stopped laughing at whatever silly thing had tickled our funny bones, [...]
Tag: Life
The Leader of the Band is wired
With hip swings so enthusiastic they frequently landed her in detention at Our Lady of Angels High School, my mother loved playing her trumpet in the marching band. She passed on her trumpet loving genes to my sister Jenny, who, dressed in her bridesmaid gown, blew her horn at my long-ago wedding, and to my [...]
There goes the neighborhood heroes
They broke it to us gently prior to any public announcement. Still, it came as quite a shock to see the bright red sign in our beloved neighbor's front yard. "For Sale By Owner." We won't have to look at the offensive sign very long, I'm sure, because this particular owner is a retired real [...]
Why we took the ice bucket challenge
My friend Gina challenged me last week, on a typically frantic day. At the time, I had no idea what the ice bucket challenge was. I just knew I didn't have time to dump a bucket of ice water over my head. Still, as they all tend to, this challenge nagged at me. I admire [...]
And with the 12th college move in, this family chooses plastic garbage bags
By the 12th time you've moved a student into college housing, you and your kid have lowered your standards considerably. Carefully annotated check lists? Not necessary! Labeled plastic bins? Clearly, a waste of space. (Thankfully, because I've never labeled a plastic bin in my life. I like the festive, scavenger hunt atmosphere of a frantic [...]