Dawn & dusk dog walks — Layers increased over the weeks As thin sunlight decreased. Please poo near a streetlight. Shortest holiday season — Thanksgiving fights for its 3 weeks As The Jolly One encroaches. Doorbusters! The bird is barely carved. Black Friday. Small Business Saturday. Cyber Monday. Christmas club (remember those?) Spent. And then …
Storytelling
Identity
We are brand-loyal in our household. With each item, it isn’t so much about the label itself. It’s about the experience. All the marketing in the world won’t compel me to buy again if the first experience sucked. For example: Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. Honestly, I can’t speak about this one personally, except to note the extreme …
Marines, police prepare for mock zombie apocalypse
That’s a real headline that I read in my morning newspaper for an Associated Press article on a counter-terrorism summit being hosted by a security firm. Marines, Navy special ops, soldiers, police and firefighters are attending the training demonstration being held on October 31st at a 44-acre resort island on a San Diego Bay. Um, …
Adventures in Babysitting: Columbus Day
“Good Morning,” whispers my brother-in-law from the dark kitchen. “Morning? This is still night!” I whisper back. It was 6:30 on Columbus Day morning and I had already driven across the county to be here in time for him and my sister to leave for work. I had agreed to watch K. & D. on …
An Adirondack State of Mind
Has it really been almost two years since we were last inside the Blue Line? Last year, our 10th anniversary Caribbean cruise completely wiped out the vacation budget, and then my essay on hiking the Adirondacks was published in The Conservationist last fall; a vicarious visit at best. We just returned from the Adirondacks last …
Vows
My husband’s sister got married this weekend. Like many women of our generation, she took her time. There were a couple of close calls prior to this engagement, but there is something to be said for a certain waiting-period on major life decisions. Given that the CDC* reports an estimated 35% divorce rate in the …
More Portfolio Updates!
My past six weeks have been a busy time of writing! The best part has been meeting interesting people and telling their stories. I’ve added three more feature articles to my portfolio – click over to read…
Adventures in Babysitting: A Dog’s Life
I have a dog. She is a greyhound. Contrary to popular belief, greyhounds are actually quite mellow and lazy, earning the nickname “40 mph couch potato.” Due to breed-inclination, advancing age and her own temperament, Valentina moves rather slowly and is compliant except when she is being aloof (neither compliant nor naughty, just generally uninterested …