A Little Cabin Fever Can’t Really Compare

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how fortunate I am to be an older working writer. Sure, I’ve suffered from a little cabin fever. Presentations and writing conferences have been put on hold, as has my singing group, volunteer work as a comprehensive sexuality educator, and trips to my favorite hangouts—the library and my neighborhood bookstore.…

Read More

Reflections on My College Experience and Beyond

With a big college reunion coming up, we alums were asked to write an essay reflecting on our lives and college experience– really made me think about who I was as a college student and the directions my life took. Here’s what I wrote: Other than my summers teaching at Interlochen, I don’t think I’ve…

Read More

Dealing with my Own “Stuff”

This past week, I took a professional development workshop on first aid for mental health, a program that originated in Australia and is now gaining widespread adoption in the states. It’s designed to teach skills in recognizing and responding to folks who may be in the early-stages of a mental health crisis

Read More

Counting My “Lucky Days”

“This is my lucky day, Mee-Ma,” my six year old granddaughter announced. “Our class got to go swimming, I had chess club after school, and now take a look!” She proudly presented me with a bloody tooth. “Wow, the tooth fairy is going to be busy tonight,” I said.

Read More

The Last Time We Say Goodbye, Book Review

Dear Friends, When I fall in love with a book, it stays with me long after I’ve finished reading it. I wanted to share a review I wrote about a novel by Cynthia Hand that deeply moved me. Here goes: The Last Time We Say Goodbye: A Stunning Foray into Teen Realistic Fiction by Cynthia…

Read More