I can honestly say I've never been sporty... at all. It wasn't for a lack of trying; my mom diligently enrolled me in gymnastics, tumbling, softball, cheerleading class, and more gymnastics, all without a glimmer of talent. Art, music, verbal? Yes! Sports, games, competitive, coordination? a resounding no.
Softball was the worst by a long shot.
Garlic Festival, complete with vampire picketer
This weekend was the first year of an annual Garlic Festival here in Cleveland, and it was a smash hit. Organic garlic farmers sold dozens of varieties of garlic, all grown right here in northeast Ohio.Garlic necklaces, garlic keepers, garlic foods, garlic decor- amazing.
Falling in love with Atticus
I can't really remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird. It's almost as if I absorbed it- as if the pages turned themselves or that it was a book on tape playing inside my head. It was alive to me.
I was about Jem's age the first time I read it in 7th or 8th grade reading class for school, followed by the first time seeing the film. I read it again as pre-freshman year required reading for high school. I read it a third time in junior year of high school honors american lit, and again quite recently as an adult in celebration of its 50th anniversary.
I was about Jem's age the first time I read it in 7th or 8th grade reading class for school, followed by the first time seeing the film. I read it again as pre-freshman year required reading for high school. I read it a third time in junior year of high school honors american lit, and again quite recently as an adult in celebration of its 50th anniversary.
Corn Dog- a canine obituary
My nephew Mark, or Markie as I still am prone to call him, and his long-term girlfriend found Corn Dog running free with no tags on the highway last summer. A cute little guy, Corn Dog had a rakish and joyful personality. He was a mix of things with perhaps some papillon or mini collie hidden in his genealogy. He had pointy ears and a fluffy neck that made him look like a little lion. His flaxen color and Mark's sense of humor earned him the name Corn Dog (aka Corny), and he quickly settled in to everyone's hearts. His perky disposition was popular with my two pups, and last year on family vacation they got along famously. It was so nice to see Mark with Corn Dog- two happy, goofy guys.
Moniker Misstep
I am a fan of monikers. I have a terrible memory for names. I have always used monikers to help me remember, and monikers to help new friends build context. For example, there was a guy in college name Joe who played the lap harp, forever remembered as Jarp. I have a friend from my days in Brooklyn who moved back home to Kansas City around the same time that I moved home to Cleveland whose permanent name is Kansas City Dave or KC Dave for short. With all the Dave's I've met, it's a great way for someone to know which Dave I'm talking about.
Brewing my first cup of coffee
At about age 14, I was still dating my first boyfriend, Bill, after at least one or two breakups since we met at age 12. One summer, we found ourselves at my parents' house alone for a little while. As any hormone-ridden teens home alone would do, we decided to make coffee. Scandalous!
Neighborly Fly By
It's embarassing, but true.
When driving through my lovely neighborhood, I often pull over when I see someone leaving or entering a fabulous house or garden, wearing a fabulous coat or walking a dog like mine, and hurl a drive-by compliment at them. For example, last month, a house in the neighborhood got a great paint job, so when I saw someone working in the yard, I pulled over, asked if they lived there and complimented the new paint scheme. That same week, a house sold and the new people were unloading. I pulled over, hollered "Are you my new neighbors?", they smiled and nodded, so I yelped back "Welcome!" and drove off. Most of the time it is no more than a sentence and the people are happy to get a random act of appreciation thrown their way. It's never seemed a weird thing to me, until I lobbed one at an ex-boyfriend.
When driving through my lovely neighborhood, I often pull over when I see someone leaving or entering a fabulous house or garden, wearing a fabulous coat or walking a dog like mine, and hurl a drive-by compliment at them. For example, last month, a house in the neighborhood got a great paint job, so when I saw someone working in the yard, I pulled over, asked if they lived there and complimented the new paint scheme. That same week, a house sold and the new people were unloading. I pulled over, hollered "Are you my new neighbors?", they smiled and nodded, so I yelped back "Welcome!" and drove off. Most of the time it is no more than a sentence and the people are happy to get a random act of appreciation thrown their way. It's never seemed a weird thing to me, until I lobbed one at an ex-boyfriend.
Mount Fuji's jealous kami
Hopefully I won't butcher this, but here goes. In the Shinto tradition, all of nature is inhabited by spirits (kami) benevolent and otherwise. 'Age and beauty appear to indicate benevolent or particularly revered kami. Believers build and place small wooden gates at the base of huge old trees that mimic the design of the gates to Shinto and Zen Bhuddist temples. The little gates show that, just like the temple, the tree's space is hallowed ground.Places to Revisit: The London Flu
When a student in Luxembourg, my then-boyfriend and I traveled everywhere we could. It was tough to get to the British Isles over a weekend, as trains and boats would have consumed the entire visit. Just before Valentine's Day we got wind of a long weekend Valentine's deal via Luxair that would fit in our budgets and our schedules. When we got on the puddle jumper, more than half the seats were taken by fellow students on the same promo. I was in hot pursuit of nachos.
Sticky Songs
Like many, it's not hard to get songs stuck in my head with the slightest provocation. The difference is that I'll actually start singing it. How about you?
When I was working at T+E, I sat next to a kindred spirit. Tiffany was a feisty mezzo soprano architect, and the two of us were unstoppable hummers/singers. Sometimes, we'd find ourselves singing the same tune under our breath in harmony without even knowing it.
When I was working at T+E, I sat next to a kindred spirit. Tiffany was a feisty mezzo soprano architect, and the two of us were unstoppable hummers/singers. Sometimes, we'd find ourselves singing the same tune under our breath in harmony without even knowing it.
Duties as Assigned: Beverage Director
We all get bizarre assignments from time to time at work that we didn't sign up for. What was your oddest role?
Just out of Columbia grad school I worked for a wonderful little architecture firm in Manhattan for two years , I will call it T+E. It had its challenges, like any workplace, but this place was like living in a sitcom with a great cast of characters that kept us all laughing and crying.
On my first day of work, I was informed that, in addition to my traditional role as a young architect/designer, I was also to be the new Beverage Director. I think my boss got a kick out of assigning this to the wide-eyed little girl from Ohio.
Just out of Columbia grad school I worked for a wonderful little architecture firm in Manhattan for two years , I will call it T+E. It had its challenges, like any workplace, but this place was like living in a sitcom with a great cast of characters that kept us all laughing and crying.
On my first day of work, I was informed that, in addition to my traditional role as a young architect/designer, I was also to be the new Beverage Director. I think my boss got a kick out of assigning this to the wide-eyed little girl from Ohio.
Stage Stories: Fiddling on the Roof
As a high school and community theater vet, I've got loads of stage memories. How about you?
It hurts to bind your chest and pull off spirit gum beards! I don't recommend trying it. My sophmore year muscial was Fiddler on the Roof, and, yes, you've remembered correctly that I went to an all girls Catholic high school.
It hurts to bind your chest and pull off spirit gum beards! I don't recommend trying it. My sophmore year muscial was Fiddler on the Roof, and, yes, you've remembered correctly that I went to an all girls Catholic high school.
Running on Empty, a Cleveland Story
Good Samaritans come in all shapes and sizes, and seem plentiful in my home town. Sometimes my city surprises me.
In summer 2009, on my way to work, I was running late, as usual. I was certain I had enough juice to make it to work, despite the fact that the low on fuel warnings started two days before. About halfway to work while going 65 on the highway I ran out of gas. One of the hidden benefits of a hybrid is that you can keep coasting and going on battery for quite some distance before you're completely kaput. I pulled off the highway and tried in vain to spot and steer toward a gas station to no avail. I came to a full stop on a one-way street just shy of a low-traffic intersection on the border of Cleveland and Lakewood.
In summer 2009, on my way to work, I was running late, as usual. I was certain I had enough juice to make it to work, despite the fact that the low on fuel warnings started two days before. About halfway to work while going 65 on the highway I ran out of gas. One of the hidden benefits of a hybrid is that you can keep coasting and going on battery for quite some distance before you're completely kaput. I pulled off the highway and tried in vain to spot and steer toward a gas station to no avail. I came to a full stop on a one-way street just shy of a low-traffic intersection on the border of Cleveland and Lakewood.
Fitting In: an Irish Debutant at the Hungarian Ball
The Hugarian Society in my community holds an annual debutant ball for the girls coming of age. They never saw my Chinese boyfriend, "Harold", and little irish-y me coming, that's for sure.
First Dates
My first real date was in 8th Grade with my first love who's still a part of my life, in his own way. Already an item, it was a big deal to go on a grownup date. Having no transportation, we rode our bikes to a nearby "fancy" restaurant at a holiday inn for lunch. Being a picky eater and worried about the cost of such a meal, I ordered a salad and asked them to hold everything- just plain lettuce. He still gives me a hard time about ordering lettuce on our big date. We were about 13. The server must have thought we were a hoot.
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