The Long Road Back
The Calm Before The Storm
Hand Me Ups and Fashion Advice
Don’t Ask for Ketchup in Paris
My husband – carnivore man – and I were walking through the streets of Paris one afternoon and came upon the Paris Opera House which is more formally known as the Palais Garnier. The Paris Opera House was built in the mid-1800’s and was the primary home of the Paris Opera for more than 100 years. A large rectangular shaped building enveloped by a diamond-shaped parcel of land with the streets (rues) forming the borders, the Paris Opera House is an impressive building. Read more
The Individual Mandate to Buy Health Insurance
Few topics spark strong opinions like health insurance – and the individual mandate to require the uninsured to purchase health insurance is at the center of the controversy. In 2010 before the Obama administration in conjunction with Congress and the Senate overhauled the US healthcare system, there were estimates of 40-50 million of uninsured Americans which equates to approximately 15% of the population. Read more
A Life Coach, Really?
Lately, I’ve been reading and hearing quite a bit about life coaches. There was a time when the only coaches in my universe were for sports: football, soccer, baseball, water polo, track, and all the other sports Americans are just mad for. But in recent years there has been a proliferation of coaches for every aspect of life: diet, health, exercise, executive, business, financial, dating, conflict, religious, and the big one of all: LIFE. Read more
Technology Turn-Off
Nearly ten years ago, my husband and I turned off our cell phones and moved to Madrid, Spain. Cell phones weren’t in the hands of every man, woman, and child so we didn’t really think we were disconnecting from life. After all, we would still have a land line. We opted not to have cell phones in Spain primarily because we didn’t feel the need and we wanted to live in the moment with our young daughter. She was beginning first grade and we took her to school, picked her up, and if she went anywhere, we were always with her so there really was no need for a cell phone. Read more
Franzen and Irving: Rock Stars of the Literary World
Several months ago, Jonathan Franzen and John Irving appeared together at a book club forum in Hartford, Connecticut. I was giddy with excitement at the prospect of seeing two of my favorite authors in a panel discussion. This wasn’t a book store appearance but a chance to hear two very talented authors speak about writing and their thoughts on literature. My husband compared my enthusiasm to the anticipation most people feel before an upcoming rock concert. Point well taken but Franzen and Irving are rock stars in the oft ignored literary world. Read more
Dying With Your Boots On
The Cuisinart, Circa 1981 and Cole Slaw
The summer of 1981, I was 20 years old and just finished my sophomore year in college. Prince Charles was going to marry Lady Diana Spencer that summer, MTV was launched, and the first woman (Sandra Day O’Connor) was nominated to the US Supreme Court. It was quite a year but I remember 1981 mostly because it was the year I discovered a kitchen appliance that transformed food preparation: The Cuisinart. Read more
Paddock Post 