Yes, I know. Quite the attention grabbing headline. I did that on purpose, of course. But for three days now, I’ve been watching my country implode, my friends “unfriend” each other, and even an eight-year-old girl be uninvited to a birthday party because of how her parents voted. And that wasn’t a virtual block. It was real. Everyone’s upset, even some of the people who voted for Trump, it seems. So why did this happen? Why did a man ─ a third party candidate of one, essentially ─ win over so many voters? It doesn’t matter that Clinton won the popular vote. We have an electoral college in this country, and Trump won that. But before I tell you why I personally think that … [Read more...]
“Haunted Tea and Cakes,” from the novel, COOKING FOR GHOSTS
When I wrote Cooking for Ghosts, I had no idea it would inspire chef Carmen Shenk to create (from scratch) her own versions of the fictitious recipes named in the novel. The story is about four diverse women who open The Secret Spice Cafe, a restaurant aboard the haunted RMS Queen Mary. The Mary is a real life, majestic ocean liner that was once the fastest on the seas, and now sits permanently docked in Long Beach, California, as a floating hotel and museum. The women in the novel are surrounded by ghosts of the figurative kind long before the step aboard … [Read more...]
Wonder Women Are Everywhere
So, Wonder Woman has been named Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Girls this month. On the one hand, I think this is a great thing---that little girls can look to female superheroes instead of princesses as role models. (Did you know that for the first time, ever, female superhero costumes are outselling princess costumes as girls' choice for Halloween?) On the other hand, could they not find a real life woman to be honorary ambassador? They're headed in the right direction--don't get me wrong. They've already invited Jessica Buchleitner and Siobhan Neilland to speak. And honestly, honestly, honestly---if you knew what these two women have been trying to do for the female … [Read more...]
Water the Flowers
Early this past week, I was hit like a sucker punch to the face by some business news. Ever get hit like that, when you don't expect it? Those are the worst, right? When you're not braced for it. In my case, the shock was doubly compounded by where it came from. It hurt, that hit, and left bruises that are just starting to turn color. I lost some sleep, too, feeling hurt, and debating what decisions I could make to do some damage control. Even after I put those decisions into action, I brooded about what had happened for most of the week. Until yesterday morning, when I got an email that lit up my whole inbox with its positivity. And that's when I remembered my own "true diva" hype: When … [Read more...]
The Black Sheep
Something I was working on yesterday got me thinking about the term, "black sheep." Webster's defines it as, "a disfavored or disreputable member of a family or group," and, "someone who does not fit in with the rest of the collective; often considered to be a troublemaker or an embarrassment." What that definition doesn't cover is why a person gets charged with this distinction. And there's not just one reason, is there? No, in fact, there are many. Here's one: (And this might be a terrible example, considering everything that's going on in the world today, but I'll risk it, for the purpose of the visual) Suppose someone --- let's say John Smythe --- climbs to the top of the town clock … [Read more...]
That Voice, That Voice. That Demon Voice
The next time you find yourself internally criticizing yourself, "I should be much further along in life by now," "I should be much thinner," and so on, stop for a minute and listen to that voice, that critical voice, the actual sound of it in your head. Whose voice is it? Because if you listen carefully, you'll notice that it's not your own voice. I'm serious. Really listen to it. I noticed this years ago, when I was in one of my self-ravaging states of mind. Something made me stop and truly listen to the sound of those words I was hearing in my head, and I realized it wasn't my own voice. I realized that I was listening to the combined sound of the voices of every person all through my … [Read more...]
Integrity Matters
I’m mad as hell and I have been for a while. In order for you to understand why, I need to take you back to 2010. That year, a bill called the James Zadroga 9-11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 was introduced to the Senate. It called for health benefits to be extended to 9-11 first responders who had developed terminal illnesses or debilitating ailments directly due to toxic exposure during their rescue efforts on September 11, 2001. When the Zadroga bill was introduced, the GOP filibustered for as long as they could, and when the bill finally came to a vote, 41 of 42 Republican senators voted against it. Sam Brownback of Kentucky abstained. Others who blocked this bill included John … [Read more...]
