IN WITH THE OLD The yellow pages are lying on the stoop. What am I supposed to do with it?  I look up addresses and phone numbers online. I check out services and goods through social media and bulletin boards. I consult yelp.    Actually, I’m not even talking about the yellow pages . Read More »

My favorite blog: The Mikveh Lady has Left the Building                            In case you didn’t know, I am the founder and board president of a 21st century incarnation of mikveh — the ancient Jewish practice of immersion. The Mayyim Hayyim blog is one my pleasures and I occasionally contribute to it. This is what I just posted there. Read More »

Spiritual Teachings of the Canine Masters It’s not the destination,it’s the journey . Walking around the block, around the block, around theblock.   Be here now . Walkingaround the block, there is a choice: keep my head down and miss the whole thing or notice the birdsong, the airagainst my cheek, the red tricycle on the neighbor’s lawn. Read More »

  I was filling up the tank, self-serve, $3.35 a gallon. (A “good”price at that moment.) I barely noticed 10 inch screen at the top of the pump. Out of the corner of my eye, I registered a message aboutthe lethal dangers of texting behind the wheel. Read More »

My husband, the information technology guy in my life, sent me a link to a new service called Kindlegraph — a platform that allows readers to get electronic books “autographed” by the author. The whole e-book thing makes writers and editors and agents and booksellers very antsy. And the whole business of publishing is in scary flux. Read More »

I’m in love with buildings — that is to say, beautiful buildings. Buildings that sing or shout to the sky or make me smile or sigh, or fill me with awe.I was in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, and was driven around the city by a friend who pointed out the old and the new. Read More »

This poem landed on my ears today, a welcome gift.  In advance of turning 60, which is, it turns out my friends, is a big deal after all. Love After Love by Derek Wolcott The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile at the other’s welcome, and say, sit here. Eat. Read More »

This spring, I had the honor of judging the finalists in an international short-story contest run by   Teen Voices , an organization with the mission of “changing the world for girls through media. Read More »

I still get emails, and even the occasional letter, about The Red Tent . Nearly all of the communication comes from women, and lately from high school students — some of whom were assigned the book, others who found it on their own. Read More »

Even before I closed the door, I knew that “Brazen”* was a mistake. The teenager girls behind the counter, who were flirting with some boys about to leave, didn’t bother saying hello, which was fine with me. Read More »

       I once heard someone object to the term as an insult, snails being associated with slime as well as slowness. But there had to be some way to differentiate between electronic missives and those send by pony express, er, post office.        I am becoming increasingly impatient with email. Read More »

About six years ago, I was invited to speak at a gathering of women, convened by Eve Ensler (Vagina Monologues) at the Omega Institute in upstate New York. It was a very cool weekend, with women of all backgrounds, from many continents and even political persuasions in attendance. I was honored to be on the podium. Read More »

You know that scroll that Jews read every year at Purim? That is definitely not the version mentioned in Chapter 9, verse 29, which states, Queen Esther, daughter of Avichayil and Mordechai the Jew, wrote about the enormity of all the miracles that established the holiday. Read More »

     A few months ago, the editors at Real Simple magazine invited me to write a short essay about a year I remember with special fondness. The result appears in the current issue, along with wonderful pieces by five other writers.     Roger Rosenblatt wrote about Age 4. Francine Prose wrote about Age 64. Read More »

I was completely sick of my winter sweaters. Familiarity=contempt. I put that sentiment up on my Facebook Page and there were suggestions I take up knitting! Ha-ha. That would take too much time away from FB, not to mention work.So instead, I hit my two favorite consignment stores and got three new (for me) ones. And only one of them is black. Read More »

Every morning I walk the dog. Regardless of the cold, snow, sleet, ice – and it’s been all that this winter. Indeed, I am more faithful than the letter carriers around here. Buddy’s gotta go so I gotta go. After living in this climate — with a dog — for over 30 years, I have finally figured out how to dress for the challenge. Read More »

Like everyone else on the planet, I use snail mail less and less. Email, like online banking and shopping, take care of most of what I once sent through the United States Postal Service.Even so, there are a few vestigial matters that either require a hard copy or that I just prefer to handle old-school. Read More »

This is my lyric to a melody composed by Bert Seager. We think of it as an alternative to Auld Lang Syne. Wishing you health, happiness and peace in the coming year New Acquaintance Let us raise up a glass, the cup of kindness, Now, as the time draws near We are gathered in hope, we gather in gladness To ring in the start of the year. Read More »

December 25, the newspaper delivery is late. I don’t begrudge the delivery man a later morning,and in fact today I should thank him for it. Read More »

Join me on Thursday, December 16 at Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave in Boston, for performances of tunes by Bert Seager with  lyrics by me. Thanks to cabaret master, Dane Vannater, six of our songs will be performed, including a world premiere of “New Acquaintance,” a song for the New Year. Read More »