Several times in the last couple of weeks, people have asked me to repeat my philosophy on this subject . . . here it is in a nutshell. During the years when I was teaching, the parents of my toddlers often asked for parenting advice. Many of them were first time parents who were struggling with their child; however, some of the parents had several children and were confused because each child reacted differently. My first response is always —…..
Memorial Day Weekend As we enjoy this three day weekend with family and friends, let us not forget why Americans have a day off to relax and enjoy. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day celebrating the lives of more than 620,000 soldiers who died during the Civil War (April 12, 1861 to May 13, 1865) Although the South was well known for “decorating” the graves of their soldiers during the Civil War,…..
Have you ever had one of those days when you truly wish you could start over? Perhaps it was a volatile interaction with a co-worker . . . or a misunderstanding with a friend . . . or a nasty argument with your spouse . . . or a screaming match with your child . . . or a horrible traffic jam that put you in an irate mood; consequently, you took your anger out on a stranger . ……
Have you seen the recently released movie POMS starring Diane Keaton? First, I must admit . . . I would never have picked this movie on my own. Movie tickets are expensive; I normally do not pick a comedy that is just as good on my television set as it is in the theater. However, my girlfriends chose to see this movie and invited me to join them. As a result, I elected to go more to spend time with…..
When I thought about the topic of my first blog post of 2019, I initially had a totally different subject to address. However, this morning as I sipped on my second cup of coffee and flipped through an old family album, I discovered a Dear Abby entry from The Washington Post. I am not sure of the exact date; however, because of its placement in the album, I believe it was in the summer months of 1991. At the time…..
“Take care of your memories for you cannot relive them.” Bob Dylan I took this picture several years ago when I visited Elon’s majestic campus for Homecoming. It inspired so many personal college memories; in addition, it also was a reflection of my imagination too! For those of you who have already read Cobwebs of Time, you know the importance of Elon’s campus and particularly the beautiful lake next to Harper Center (in the 1970s) This was the setting for…..
Do you enjoy bookstores? Ironically, in 1931 – during the year the characters in Reflection of Memories were born – only 4,000 stores in America sold books – most of those were gift shops or specialty stores that sold only a few of the best known novels. In fact, brick-and-mortar bookstores at that time numbered less than 500 – the majority of them were in major cities, not small towns. During the mid-to-late 1900s – as our nation became increasingly…..
When Failure Turns into Success When I was very little, my father’s job took us to Paris where we lived for two years. During that time, I attended kindergarten and started the first grade in French schools. According to my mother, I spoke French fluently (but don’t ask me to speak it now.) I was halfway through the first grade when we returned to the United States. Unfortunately, I did not have the reading foundation in English to excel. For…..
Do you feel as if your neighborhood is an extension of your home or merely land surrounding your house? For today’s BLOG entry, I have chosen to write more about my surroundings – as a child and as an adult – and the impact my neighborhood had/has on my life. Perhaps you will be able to relate. If so, please do provide your story. I grew up in the small, 100-home community called Tauxemont — located a few miles south…..
After two weeks of traveling, book signings and book clubs, I am HOME. It was an exciting, successful and event-packed adventure. I loved being with family for Thanksgiving and truly enjoyed seeing “old fans” and meeting so many “new fans” at the Barnes & Noble and other book events! Your enthusiasm and support inspire me. Thank you! As I sit in my comfy Lazy-Boy chair sipping on my morning coffee, I realize I have not written on my BLOG for…..