I’m no stranger to public humiliation, particularly as it relates to my body parts and medical matters. That die was cast forty years ago when, after sixteen hours of labor, I lost control of my bowels in full view of my OB, a resident, and two medical students. Worse...
If, as they say, timing is everything, then I’ve got nothing. My timing is notoriously crummy. I routinely jump the gun or show up after it’s been fired, causing me to miss out on everything from those “ground floor” investment opportunities to good bra sales. I...
The other day, a friend posted a photo on Facebook that made me snort out loud. It was a sign advertising the offerings of a roadside business. It read: Bait & Tackle, Liquor Store, Apartment for Rent, Family Dining. All Under One Roof! Humor value aside, I...
This past June marked ten years of marriage to “the good husband,” as I call him. And, wow, did he ever live up to that title on this anniversary. He completely surprised me with a trip to Europe, including a visit to my relatives in Italy. He planned the...
Early in our courtship, my now-husband invited me to lunch at a Colombian restaurant. I knew a little about Colombian food, but was anxious to try more dishes under the expert guidance of my new boyfriend from Bogota, Jorge. The server brought the menus and she and...
In our often cold and impersonal modern world, you would think a business that boasts of delivering its services with “a personal touch” would be something to celebrate. Yes, you would think that. And you would be dead wrong in this instance. Believe it or not, the...
After such lovely Mother’s Day greetings from my now faraway stepsons, this piece needed a replay! On Christmas Eve, 2002, the same year that my father died and my mother hovered on the brink of a coma, my husband of 22 years looked across the living room at me...
For the past fifteen years, I have greatly enjoyed teaching English as a Second Language classes to adult learners, but lately I have noticed a disturbing trend—the so-called adults seem to be getting younger and younger. Just this morning, one of my new students gave...
With every year that passes, it seems I owe my mother yet another apology for doing or saying something that I, in the superior wisdom of my youth,—i.e., naiveté—once vowed I would never, ever do or say. So, yeah, I’ve been eating my words for a good 25 years now. And...
