There’s something especially magical about Eves, the night before. Before Christmas, before a New Year. The time before anything to which we’re looking forward — a vacation, a birthday, a visitor, a project, a personal breakthrough. It’s not here just…
Out on a walk this week, I listened to an episode of “One Song,” a podcast in which a pair of producers analyze a single from the pop music canon. Diallo Riddle and Blake “Luxxury” Robin possess a wealth of…
Malaphor — (noun) — an idiom blend; an error in which two similar figures of speech are merged, producing an amusing or nonsensical result. I can’t believe I’ve lived so long without encountering this marvelous term until this week. It’s…
“The only thing to find is what’s already here.” I wrote that on a post-it, and I’ve been staring at it by my desk for several months now, considering. Sometimes, it seems almost profound. Other days (peevish days) I think,…
REO Speedwagon’s 1984 power ballad has been my ear worm all week. It’s been like my 9th grade homecoming dance in my head. “I can’t fight this feeling anymore. I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for…” I’m not sure what…
It’s taken me decades to admit this: I’m not spontaneous. Some of you may be thinking, “Duh. It’s hard to be spontaneous when you’re an anal-retentive control freak.” For me, it’s not so much about control, but rather being dependable,…
I’m definitely not an expert on Día de los Muertos. But I love everything I know about the traditions and meaning around it. El Día de los Muertos originated as an Aztec harvest festival, a month-long party to honor and…
My desk has way too much on it right now. It’s covered with sticky notes that ought to be transcribed elsewhere so I won’t lose the information on them, receipts to be logged and shredded, recipes to be filed, old…
Three different people, after recent visits to our Sunday gatherings, told me how much they appreciated our spirit of welcome and inclusion. I’m always glad to hear things like this. But it tends to surprise me a little because I…
For about four years, my family lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where we visited them annually. Usually, we’d get a hotel so we could have our own space and enjoy fancy resort amenities. But one time we stayed with them…