Me & Holden Caulfield

Field of ears

I just read Catcher in the Rye again.

Funny how different you can see a book the second or third or fourth time you read it.

In high school, as a mixed-race-white-looking-class-individual-child-of-divorce-latchkey-kid, I saw Holden Caulfield as a hero: a justifiably disaffected, per… Read more...

The Last Staple

Staplers

I finally ran out of staples.

It took 25 years.

In my first job as a temp at the Writer’s Guild of America in Los Angeles, I went into the supply closet after hours and stole a crate of staples. Not a box, a whole crate.

The staples were for my manuscripts.

Writing was my thing… Read more...

The Nick

I love my car.

Excessively so.

I wash it by hand. I never park under trees or power lines. I try not to take it out in the rain.

I talk to it. “Good to see you… Sorry about the rain.”

So when I came out of Rockin’ Jump Trampoline World and saw that my driver&#… Read more...

Never Too Much Love

Foggy window heart

One thing you can never overdo is love.

“Stop loving me so much!” — said no one ever.

Iterating and reiterating love is always welcome.

Even better than that? Finding a new way to love someone, or a new thing to love about them. Or (oh yes!) a new thing to love abo… Read more...

Saying Goodbye to Clé

Closeup photo of assorted color marble ball lot

I’ve had a knot in my stomach since I heard the news.

And then this morning, in that spiritual space between dreaming and waking, I was gifted with this:

Pulling into the driveway on Hope Hill Road. 🙂

What a wonderful place! There were always rows of cars in the driveway, even… Read more...

Better Than Best

Funny girl with bucket on head sitting in forest

We are quick to applaud those that rise to the top of their class, and, no doubt, they deserve our respect, for it takes hard work and discipline to perform at that level.

But there’s a danger.

When you attach your self-worth to comparative achievement, you’re destined … Read more...

Cuss Words

Young boy shows cross with fingers - don't touch me

I never was one to care much about cuss words.

I use them in front of my kids.

My main concern is that they impede upon their vocabulary development.

Especially the eff-bomb. That word is a bit too versatile. You can use it 4 times in a single sentence.

But these so-called cuss words… Read more...