What is your favorite hobby or pastime? “There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” Sylvia Plath I am addicted to baths. It began in my childhood, at what age I cannot say for certain. I can envision myself and my two sisters bobbingContinue reading “The Marvelous, Mystical Cure of a Bath”
Category Archives: Relationships
Lee and Joanne
I first encountered her while doing laundry one afternoon, wordlessly, robotically, tending to our clothes. She taking them out of the dryer and me, placing them in. I can still recall that subterranean, no frills room, whose stark walls and dismal atmosphere would make the perfect backdrop for an Alfred Hitchcock horror film. That was,Continue reading “Lee and Joanne”
Finding Mary
A visit to a cherished next door neighbor, fifty years later, revealed a surprising revelation; you can go home again…
The Galetti Guest House
We sit together miserably, my sister and I, on the sofa of our NYC apartment. Though close in proximity we make sure to stay at least a foot apart, not daring to chance brushing up against each other, even for a split second. The sweltering heat, still villainous at 10 PM, permeates every nook andContinue reading “The Galetti Guest House”
A Mid-Summer’s Daydream
Standing amid a sea of tourists on the teeming Boulevard Saint Germain, I watch as the sidewalk artist works his magic on my sister, who sits posed before him. We are in Paris for the weekend, the result of an incredible airfare originating from Dublin, where we are spending two weeks of the summer withContinue reading “A Mid-Summer’s Daydream”
Frogs, in Life and Death
I have always loved frogs. It started the day my father, he too a frog lover, brought my three sisters and me, to the downstairs pet department of Woolworth’s five and dime. Standing before a random aquarium, I spotted a brilliant flash of jade green, gleefully darting around the tank. And then, as if sensingContinue reading “Frogs, in Life and Death”
I Will Remember You
In my role as a Psychiatric Technician, the goal is to care for patients with professionalism and warmth while maintaining boundaries, within that working relationship. But sometimes, there are certain people who touch your heart in a way you do not expect. The reason may not be clear; they remind you of someone dear fromContinue reading “I Will Remember You”
Unsung Heroes
Sometimes, it is those in the background, the ones who are not center stage, that make a difference. The heroes among us who do their work, unceremoniously unnoticed. I have chosen three colleagues of mine from the Psych hospital where I work, who touch the lives of our patients every day and whose acts ofContinue reading “Unsung Heroes”
Letters to the Tooth Fairy
I have two sons whose personalities are as different as the seasons. The younger at age fourteen, is tow-haired, blue-eyed, sensitive, free-spirited, emotional, empathetic and kind. The elder, at sixteen, is dark in coloring, taciturn, responsible, diplomatic, witty and charming. The younger enjoys exotic and spicy cuisine – the elder prefers a more conventional menu. I can’t think of anything IContinue reading “Letters to the Tooth Fairy”
Magic Drinks
ROCHESTER, September 26 — Eastman Kodak Company today announced its intent to stop making and selling slide projectors by June 2004. “The Kodak slide projector has been a hallmark for quality and ubiquity, used for decades to produce the best in audio visual shows throughout the world,” the company said. “However, in recent years, slideContinue reading “Magic Drinks”
Shangri-La 