Aug 22, 2021The Ghost of Mike BradyThe negative space in my family — I grew up in the Sixties and Seventies, under the shadow of “Leave It to Beaver” and “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” Nuclear families were the norm: mother, father, two or more children. …Mwc Space6 min readMwc Space6 min read
May 27, 2021The Other Farmer’s Wife1802, Massachusetts — Nate had preceded her westward by six long months. Prudence had spent that eternity in the home of her devout in-laws, who thought it was a shame the Puritanism had gone the way of King George III. She was a good Christian, but not quite that good. Her father, a…Fiction3 min readFiction3 min read
May 19, 2021The Farmer’s WifeFlash Fiction — Betty walked past the paddock where the last cow’s corpse still lay, black, bloated and fly-covered in the summer heat. She’d been a good cow, Betty’s favorite. Her gentle expression and sense of curiosity had endeared her to the whole family. That’s why she lasted this long. …Fiction2 min readFiction2 min read
Apr 26, 2021The OwlA personal visit from a bird of prey — There was a cardboard box on the lawn where there wasn’t usually a cardboard box. It wasn’t that early in the morning, late enough that I was thinking about getting ready to go to work, late enough that I wouldn’t expect to see wildlife out and about, more on the…Nature5 min readNature5 min read
Mar 3, 2021On The Allure of a New NotebookFlash non fiction — Its crisp, unblemished exterior and empty pages are a beacon of hope: the new bullet journal that will change your life, the brilliant words you’ll write, the groundbreaking art you will draw. This will be the notebook you tell your secrets to, the secrets that will draw readers into your…Creativity2 min readCreativity2 min read
Feb 24, 2021What Do an Evangelist and a Pop Star Have In Common?The price of fame — The Britney Spears documentary “Framing Britney” has ignited a discussion of the way famous women are treated by the media and society at large. The unrealistic standards of expected behavior and the outrageous intrusions into their private lives make both normal development (in younger women) and personal relationships (in older…Psychology4 min readPsychology4 min read
Published in P.S. I Love You·Feb 10, 2021An ExorcismI now understand why Joan Didion wrote “The Year of Magical Thinking.” — He had a hockey game that evening and would be home late. She took an Advil PM so he wouldn’t wake her up when he rolled into bed at midnight, after a few beers and burgers with the team, probably turning on the TV so he could fall asleep to…Grief4 min readGrief4 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Feb 3, 2021Pie ContestFlash Fiction — Five pies were lined up on the table. Lola’s was in the middle, a coconut cream made entirely from scratch, topped with fluffy soft clouds of whipped cream. She’d gotten the recipe on last year’s tenth anniversary trip to Aruba, from the chef at the local café. …Fiction3 min readFiction3 min read
Feb 3, 2021Don’t Be SADEasy ways to beat the wintertime blues — February is the cruelest month. It doesn’t have the “New Year, New You” shininess of January. Now you’re in the slog, keeping those resolutions going (or not). You thought January weather was bad? February says hold my beer. …Personal Development4 min readPersonal Development4 min read
Published in P.S. I Love You·Jan 20, 2021My Mom’s LiesPiecing together the truth of childhood — The lies started with Hymie, our gentle, docile ram. He lived in our chain-link-fenced-in city backyard. As small children, we used to ride him around the yard. …Childhood6 min readChildhood6 min read
