I woke up next to a veteran. And am so glad he’s alive. Because I’m not a veteran, I’ll never be able to fully understand how Tom survived what he survived as an Army Ranger in the 1980s. I am simply grateful to him for putting his life on the line repeatedly. Not only that – he … read more Lives on the line
Tag: 1988
Other people’s troubles
When I had to turn down a research gig, my contact at the client company wrote me a private note. She suggested that I get in touch with the Spousal Caregivers / Well Spouse Association. She knew about it because her husband has had MS for seven years. I was really shocked. She’s a young … read more Other people’s troubles
A change of plan
Chance of thunderstorms was around 50 percent, but we thought the skies had cleared. The last lightning strike had hit more than 45 minutes before. So we piled into the car to drive to the pool. We really wanted to go swimming. It’s still hot, another long day, and we wanted to exercise in the water. Skies were grey … read more A change of plan
Train tracks
The train was all black, going fast, on a track that followed the rim of a wooden volcano. Its whistle was full of darkness, echoing into the cavern of void around it. I was scared, even as it curved away from me. I knew it would be back. That is the first dream I remember … read more Train tracks
Remembering Osama
Last night, on a re-run of The Newsroom, the killing of Osama bin Laden was the major news event of the day. May 1, 2011. I watched the reporters and other Americans cheering and high-fiving, and it brought back the feelings I had that day. I wasn’t jubilant. I was sad. My sorrow was not, of … read more Remembering Osama
Cutting a tomato into 48 pieces
Twenty-five minutes: What can you accomplish? The tomato method says: A lot. If you do only ONE thing – and nothing else. Like a lot of people, I struggle to walk the fine line between multitasking and being scatter-brained. Email and social media are a constant lure, an easy way to distract us from focusing on the … read more Cutting a tomato into 48 pieces
That green silk outfit
I had a silk dress suit, a slim black skirt with fitted emerald-green top. The silk was soft and subtly patterned, the top with a perfectly fitted bust and waist, and the overall effect was stunning. I bought this outfit when I was in my late 20s, so it was a size 10. I’m not sure … read more That green silk outfit
Day 5: Heat
When I left home, it was a very pleasant 80 degrees …. and by the time I got to Atlanta, it was 93. The day later topped out at 95. Tom needed to pick up his new grill, so we went there thinking he could put it into his new X3. Unfortunately, the grill would … read more Day 5: Heat