Connecting the Dots
Way back in high school I remember taking an aptitude test to help determine my direction in life. Among other things it got wrong was saying that I have a strength in Math and possible career paths could include mathematician or scientist. It is quite amazing that...
Creating a Rewarding Life
This is the picture of tranquility: relaxing on a comfortable couch, with a beautiful and adoring dog lounging on a chair nearby, while taking in a gorgeous view. I’m relaxing just thinking about it. This is the “reward” – what I get for putting up with what gets me...
From Nuclear Energy to Roasted Chicken: The Joys of Following Your Own Path
There was a time when I had not heard of the Food Network or HGTV. It was my children who brought them into my awareness. While most kids are secreted in their rooms watching something they weren’t supposed to be watching, mine were into Chopped, The Next Food Network...
Writing This Chapter
I’ve always loved books. Some of my earliest memories are of being read to, either on someone’s lap, or by Captain Kangaroo, as I sat transfixed, too close to the black and white TV screen. What drew me in were the stories, the pictures and the characters. Especially...
Nothing Is As It Should Be
“When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” - From Alice in Wonderland “I cannot count on anything to be a certain way,” said my friend Susan, during one of our bi-monthly conversations....
How Getting Stuck in the Snow Can Help You Now
I learned to drive in Michigan. And if you learn to drive in Michigan, you sure better learn how to drive in the winter. If you find yourself stuck – and you will – there are a few different ways to deal with it: Wait it out until Spring – or until someone comes to...
Dads, Dogs and #BlackLivesMatter
If you want to experience unconditional love, get a dog. There is no better living example of this quality than seeing a dog, who has just been ignored or reprimanded or worse, coming back with its tail wagging, as if to say “I’m sorry, all is forgiven, I just love...
Speaking the Language
My father-in-law, Dick, was diagnosed with Lewy body Dementia late in his life. It’s a horrible condition akin to having Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s at the same time. My mother-in-law was doing the lion’s share of taking care of him and REALLY needed a break, so we...
It’s Hard to Be A Chameleon in a Quarantine
For most of my life I have been able to “fit in”. In fact, I became so adept at it, that more than once I have been asked directions in a city I was visiting for the first time. I can pick up mannerisms and accents easily. When speaking with someone, I can pick up...
How Sunday Dinners with My Family Prepared Me for This Moment
Some families like to discuss current events. Some families like to argue. Some families like to complain. Some worry. Some nag. Some ignore each other. My family likes to laugh. And I’ve realized it is the greatest gift I could ever have been given. My maternal...
“ASK JANET”