The Hero Behind Pretending to Dance

When I was growing up, my sister Joann was my hero. Never mind the fact that she couldn’t stand me. I was seven years younger and when I came along, I took over her position as Princess of the Family. She didn’t bother masking her disdain for me. (You can even see it in this…

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Story Weekend: Foreign Language

John and I plan to travel to Tuscany with some friends in the spring. I grew up with an Italian surname (Lopresti) but  my Italian immigrant grandparents wanted their children to be American through and through, so no Italian was spoken in their home and my father had none of the language to share with…

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Midweek Questions from My Readers (and a Giveaway)

On Facebook, I asked for some questions that were a bit out of the ordinary and received plenty!  I may make this a feature on my blog for a midweek pick-me-up. Here’s the first set (and then it’s your turn…): Q. What is your favorite breakfast food? A. I have breakfast nearly every morning at…

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Story Weekend: Your Earliest Memory

I can’t really pinpoint my own earliest memory, so I’m always fascinated when someone tells me theirs. I’d love to hear yours. If  you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of…

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Can We Have a Little Tolerance, Please?

 Wow. On Facebook yesterday, I asked for suggestions for the name of an organization that would support gay and lesbian youth and that would form a good acronym. (The organization is created by a character in my work-in-progress.) I received tons of great responses. . . and a few not-so-nice retorts as well. I don’t…

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Story Weekend: Saying Goodbye

It may have been the day you left your five-year-old at the kindergarten door. Or it may have been that long embrace before your husband–or wife–was deployed overseas. Or may be it was the time you hugged your grandmother goodbye, knowing it would be the last hug you’d ever give her. What is your Goodbye…

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Musical Nostalgia

I’m sitting in Starbucks (what else is new?) and they’re playing a song called “I Can’t Get Used to Losing You.” I just Googled to find out who’s performing it– a group called The English Beat. Has a bouncy little ska rhythm. And it’s bringing back memories that put a smile on my face. All…

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