BETTER LIVING THROUGH DUCT TAPE Photo Courtesy of Jo Szczepanska My Duct Tape essay just appeared in The 30th Anniversary Anthology of the Blue Ridge Writers. Here is a excerpt: The Latin words ductus tapeicus translate to cures all evils. Those words should be displayed on our family crest. Both sides of our family have […]
BETTER LIVING THROUGH DUCT TAPE Read More »
NEWS OF THE WORLDMOVIE REVIEW After a spectacularly rough week (don’t ask), Bruce and I decided to have a date night, which in pandemic world meant he’d bring home take out after work. (Our two favorite places for special occasions are HAMILTON’S and ORZO.) However, Bruce wound up stuck in the clinic. By the time
NEWS OF THE WORLD–MOVIE REVIEW Read More »
THE WILDSTV SERIES REVIEW THE WILDS is an eleven-episode Amazon Prime Video TV series about a group of young women who are stranded on an island after an apparent plane crash. I’ll have to admit, I enjoyed watching the show. However, if you’re not into YA, dystopian, survival genre, you may not be interested. Also, don’t
TED LASSOSERIES REVIEW TED LASSO is an Apple TV show about an American football coach who is hired to coach a professional British soccer team. When I heard the premise, my eyes glazed over. However, after several friends told me I’d love the comedy, I watched an episode, after which I viewed the remaining nine
SITCOM REVIEW: TED LASSO Read More »
SOUTH OF THE ZOOM SCREEN Photo Courtesy of Sonia Nadales 0:00 / 0:00 South of the Zoom Screen Recently, I combined my light clothes with my dark clothes in the washing machine—an unthinkable act in my prior life. As the washer churned and my whites got dingier, I realized my universe had shifted. For good
RADIO-SOUTH OF THE ZOOM SCREEN Read More »
CONTEMPT Photo Courtesy of Marcus Voetter These past four years the daily news has made my blood boil and my blood pressure rise. One way I’ve maintained my sanity is to watch YouTube clips of Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee. These talented folks helped me to cry less and laugh more. They do
DON’T NEVER EVER GIVE UP 0:00 / 0:00 Don't Never Ever Give Up Years ago, I came across an older woman with a prominent tattoo. Amidst the wrinkles, I spotted, “DON’T NEVER EVER GIVE UP.” Immediately, the ghost of Miss Mercer, my ninth-grade grammar teacher appeared. She cackled, “A double-negative creates a positive statement!” Bad
RADIO DON\’T NEVER EVER GIVE UP Read More »
MAYHEM WASPS Photo Courtesy of James Wainscott 0:00 / 0:00 Mayhem Wasps In this year of our Lord 2020, I feel as if I’ve been in hand-to-hand combat with Mother Nature. Currently, I am covered in poison ivy. I have blisters on my body in places I heretofore did not know existed. The worst spots
RADIO MAYHEM WASPS Read More »
HOSTILE RESTING FACE Photo Courtesy of David Veksler 0:00 / 0:00 Hostile Resting Face Years ago, I worked as the program director of the Injury Prevention Resource and Research Center at Dartmouth Medical School. As part of my job, I lobbied for car seat/seat belt legislation in New Hampshire, a state whose motto is Live
RADIO HOSTILE RESTING FACE Read More »
THE CONCEPT OF SKEEVY Photo Courtesy of Nathan Dumlao 0:00 / 0:00 Skeevy As far as I know, all of my maternal Italian American ancestors survived the pandemic of 1918. My theory is that they beat the Spanish flu because they governed their lives by the hygienic principles of skeevy. The word skeevy is Italian
RADIO SKEEVYING YOUR WAY THROUGH A PANDEMIC Read More »