At church, I always want to sit behind young families with rambunctious kids. I love it when children cry, whine, pull hair, shriek, and throw toys, books and Cheerios in church. I hate to play the “been-there-done-that-ha-ha-my-kids-are-grown” card, but I can’t help it. I used to dread going to church with my kids, mostly because […]
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You heard me right. I didn’t buy a ticket to the Powerball last week, despite a record jackpot of $950 million. I still won’t buy a ticket this week, although the jackpot is at this moment worth $1.4 billion. I don’t know how else to say it: I DON’T WANT A BILLION DOLLARS. Before I […]
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Don’t freak out. This isn’t a personal announcement. The last time I was pregnant, Bill Clinton was President and figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding had recently become ex-friends, so do the math. This probably isn’t about me. This is about the peculiar tendency I’ve noticed in recent years in which expecting couples no […]
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Have you noticed the curious New Year’s trend in which people select their “word” for the New Year? People used to make New Year’s Resolutions, which, as studies have historically shown, almost always fail by February. (Of course, there’s nothing like the threat of expectation to ruin your expectations.) So now, instead of making a […]
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I saw Santa Claus. I swear. And I don’t mean one of those mall helpers. No, I saw the Real Deal Santa. I must have been about 4 years old, or I had to be because I was still young enough to share a room with my older brother in the “front” bedroom. On Christmas […]
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Two weeks ago, I was sitting on an airplane, belted in and waiting to take off, when I heard someone mutter, “This is going to be a long flight.” That person was referring to a crying baby several rows ahead. Glancing around, I realized that other people on the plane were making uncomfortable looks and […]
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There’s an old “mom trick” that mothers have employed since the dawn of transportation. If you want to know what your kid is thinking or doing, drive them somewhere with their friends, keep your mouth shut, and listen to every word of youthful banter in the back seat. As long as you don’t gasp, react […]
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There’s an old “mom trick” that mothers have employed since the dawn of transportation. If you want to know what your kid is thinking or doing, drive them somewhere with their friends, keep your mouth shut, and listen to every word of youthful banter in the back seat. As long as you don’t gasp, react […]
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How did I miss the all-important public directive that when Pitt plays football at Heinz Field, spectators are not permitted to bring ANYTHING into the stadium? No bags, purses, pouches, or fanny packs allowed. “Uh, it can only be the size of my hand,” the reluctant gatekeeper said, balling his hand into a fist to […]
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For a supremely happy person, I have been crying a lot lately. That’s because I have a very tough assignment. I am writing an article about the heroin epidemic. Last week, I spoke to a recovering addict who broke my heart when she described the pain, suffering and stigma she has endured. “I come from […]
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