Category Archives: Philadelphia
The amnesia of motherhood
You’ve heard, if you’re a parent, the phrase, the amnesia of childbirth. Some people think the reason we mothers forget the pain of childbirth is that giving birth is so horrific we’d probably never do it again if we could … Continue reading
Why the Bacon Brothers should friend me
A few months ago, I landed on the Bacon Brothers’ facebook page and sent a friend request. They have almost five thousand friends, I reasoned. They can’t know them all. Why did I want to be friends with the Bacon … Continue reading
Pummeling the Poor
One item glared at me when I opened my browser to Google news this morning. The headline from the Philadelphia Inquirer screamed the news: Schools, city lose in budget. But don’t worry, taxes won’t rise. And business taxes will actually … Continue reading
Got Testosterone?
BufferMy brother David likes to say that testosterone is the great gulch that keeps males and females on opposite sides of myriad issues. If fact, he can find a way to explain any difference of opinion we might have in … Continue reading
The Hug: A Handshake From the Heart
When I meet new people, I like to shake hands. I expect a firm handshake, accompanied by eye contact. If I find myself on the receiving end of a limp handshake, I struggle to resist the urge to wipe my … Continue reading
Reconnecting in paradise
Three years ago, my cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer. The thought of losing her galvanized me. We began talking again, visiting each other, sharing secrets the way we did in childhood. But I had one foot in Philly and the other in Costa Rica by then. We decided she had to come for a visit- the sooner the better. “I won’t go through chemotherapy again,” she said, in the understated way she has. Continue reading
Starring on highways in Pennsylvania: fall foliage
One of the things I love about Pennsylvania is the smash hit that plays along a highway near you around the last two weeks of October, and runs until the last leaves fall. In this production there are no bad seats, and the ticket is always free. It can be a sad story, a reminder of mortality; or a joyous one, with the implicit promise of renewal; regardless, it plays to packed houses. Continue reading
You CAN go home again
In Spanish, the word casa means house; as far as I can tell, there’s no word that means home. In English, we differentiate between house and home, but often use the two words interchangeably. Lately, I’ve been wondering: How can … Continue reading
