Thanksgiving Day is this week. It apparently comes as a surprise to my Mother when I remind her to please bring the stuffing on Thursday. “That’s not this week!” Yes, Mom. It is. Living in any western democracy is a feat of luck, let alone being born in the United States. The exhaustive list of …
Outside my comfort zone
Adventures in Babysitting III: Game On
I did two things when I woke up this morning after a very late night out. First, I sat up and assessed which muscles hurt the most. Second, I looked in the mirror to see whether my Hello Kitty hand stamp had transferred to my cheek or forehead. No, we weren’t the “old” people at …
Summer Classics: All fun and games
Summertime…sticky-hot days, fast and furious rainstorms, short-shorts and ice cream dripping down my arm; this is high-summer, when school and closed-toe shoes are a distant memory and my skin has bronzed from just coming and going. There is a specialness to the air, and it feels just right for a trip to the Amusement Park. …
Adventures in Babysitting, Part II: Taking It Outdoors
I could dramatically declare, “It happened again,” but my name isn’t Phil, I’m not calling from Thailand, and there’s no Hangover from 2 hours with my nephews K. and D. Our zany adventure in babysitting this past February was a night confined indoors at my sister’s home; this time, the boys were delivered to our …
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One For The Big Guy
Who misses the old Times Square? Fifteen years ago, Mayor Rudy Giuliani directed the New York City police department to crack down on panhandling, along with offenses such as public urination and loitering. New York City is arguably cleaner and more welcoming without the aggressive begging and “squeegee terrorists” – street people who would clean …
Sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat
Bon Voyage Everyone told me that I wouldn’t feel it. Yet as I lay in bed, snug in our stateroom many miles out to sea, I do feel the rocking. For weeks leading up to our cruise vacation, this fear has nagged at me; would I feel the ship rocking and would it make me …
Soap Box Optional
Talking in church Today I spoke in front of my church congregation. Twice. I went out on a limb, about going out on a limb. I get my God-on at a fairly liberal protestant denomination, a United Church of Christ. Churches like to say that they are inclusive and welcoming. UCC churches go a step …
Boulder in your way? Climb over.
Trailhead The air is cold for late September – so cold that I can see my breath. I expect this as the day is crystal clear and the High Peaks of the Adirondacks is a colder micro-climate. Dress for 35 degrees now and 60 degrees later. At the trailhead we scratch our names into the …