Archive for the 'Other Writings' Category

At Sixteen

May 18th, 2008


Missing Something on Mother’s Day

May 12th, 2008

Being Mother’s Day, I wondered if I should write a post about my mother but then I thought, no. It’s too sad, really, and not the kind of tribute others want to read. Many mothers, it seems, left dark mysteries and heartaches as legacies to their daughters. Mine was no exception. [...]

Jane’s Guide to Proper Cussing

April 11th, 2008

Dear Elisabeth,
Somehow, in all those sterling lessons I imparted as a parent, I left out this highly crucial one regarding cussing etiquette. As I watched you, my beautiful Venus daughter, trying to cuss the other day — and doing it all wrong — I realized I had failed to teach you even the rudimentary [...]

The Power of Venus, Revisited

April 3rd, 2008

A decade or so ago, she flipped her blonde hair back with a wave, adjusted her sunglasses, and leaned forward for the customary hug goodbye. I thought, as I often did, how very stunning my sister was, how elegant, and how unlike me, from her long, thin legs to her alabaster skin. Dianne [...]

From Death Row Inmate to Working Class Diva

April 2nd, 2008

It is raining outside, and Hanna is pouting in the foyer, all stretched out on her favorite rug with her paws extended toward the door as if it might magically open to a day of sunshine and fun. There are trails to be blazed, ducks to be chased, children to be slobbered on – [...]