Dear Candidates/Elected Officials, A group of friends recently gathered at a dive bar in the shadows of the U.S. Capitol. We did not talk politics. Instead, we told stories of our friend Eve: how her favorite accessories were a big smile and perfect red lipstick, how we loved her thick southern accent and glorious sense of fun, how […]
I wanted to to write about the best kind of conspiracies: not the “secret plan to do something unlawful” kinds; no, let’s focus on “acting in harmony towards a common end” stories. About the ones acting to close the opportunity deficits that exist across America. I wanted to tell you about a recent visit to Richmond, where […]
You meet her shortly after you move into a little brick tree house nestled in a hill. There is a creek and a park that you visit almost every day. You share the swings with two saucy blond sisters. Your mothers chat for hours while you three explore. Pebbles are collected and carried up to the narrow bridge. You lean over and toss […]
Bruce Springsteen is bringing The River Tour to DC’s Verizon Center this week and it’s bringing me back thirty years. Many in my Maryland high school crowd loved Bruce and the E Street Band. We danced to “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” knew every word to “Badlands,” mourned lost youth in “The River.” The summer of […]
Tis the season for both heartbreaking news and stories of beautiful people and organizations. I’m putting aside all the harried, busy stuff for a bit and sharing news about some of my favorites: Glennon Doyle’s Together Rising, Humans of New York, A Wider Circle, and my friend Sue Leather. Because in a tough world, goodness deserves attention. […]
So this happened last week. You can picture it. On a rushed, early morning, a harried mother backs her minivan out of the garage. She failed to notice that the last person to drive it (not her!) had made a small (but crucial!) change to her typical parking job. And thus it was that the van just […]
Remember when Mr. Rogers used to look right through the television and sing to us, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” Yes! Except knowing what I do now, I kind of wish Mr. Rogers had substituted freighbor for neighbor. There’s a difference between neighbors and freighbors, you see. Neighbors wave hello. They might buy cookies from your girl […]
We suburban parents have something in common with a famous American icon. Because whether you’re fighting outlaws in the wild west or the Costco parking lot, everyone needs a trusty steed. The Lone Ranger had Silver; we have Burgundy. Ok, his was a horse, ours is a minivan. But still. According to lore (the old-fashioned word for Wikipedia), the Lone […]
Inspired by the 30th anniversary of the Breakfast Club this year (what?!), let’s follow the evolution of an 80’s teen and revisit ten key milestones. 1) Work 1985: Got the Chi-Chi’s hostess job, $3.50 an hour! 2015: Someone’s paying me to write! At the freelance rate, which equates to… about $3.50 an hour. 2) Waiting (Also known as […]
Oops, typo. I meant “Reading Wild in the Burbs.” But anyway, now that you’re here, please stay for a little story about a book (Cheryl Strayed‘s Wild, film out December 5), and a special bookclub. So about that bookclub… Our first meeting was in my living room. Our first book was Alice McDermott’s Charming Billy. We drank wine; we […]