Today is Fathers Day. I’ve been thinking a lot about parents lately – specifically about the relationship between parents and adult children. At the age of 44, I have come to the belated realization that we are always our parent’s children. That is from both sides. While we strive for equality and “to be treated like an adult,” we also crave that same cocoon of unconditional love from them that we sought as children. Read More...

While I was getting my hair done last week, my hairdresser had on Dr. Phil. I’ve never seen it before (I haven’t!) but this episode caught my attention, and I’ve been thinking about it for a week now, so I wanted to share it.
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Like most parents, my refrigerator is papered with a mish mash of pictures of my son, his art work, school-dictated mothers day missives, coupons, and important reminders that get buried under pictures and art work and missives. Read More...

I was thrilled when the Iranian government released Roxanna Saberi from jail after originally sentencing her to eight years for espionage. Ms. Saberi is the American journalist who spent four months in an Iranian jail, first charged with purchasing alcohol – illegal in Iran – then for acting as a reporter without a press pass, and ultimately for espionage, because she had access to a classified report. Ms. Saberi’s father is ethnically Iranian, her mother is ethnically Japanese, and Ms. Saberi and her family now are American citizens living in North Dakota. Read More...

The blog I started tonight was about the value of silence and calm in our worlds. How in a time of email and cell phone and kids and dogs and every other commitment you can think of, a few minutes of pure silence, of sitting with yourself, is an amazing thing…then I watched the new James Bond movie. And here’s the thing…fast is sexy. Read More...

During a recent trip to San Jose, California, I fell in love. I fell in love twice, actually, with two amazing, wonderful women – Tova, owner of Tova Day Spa and Mary, a remarkable massage therapist at Tova. Both of them made such an impression on me that I have thought of them every day since my return a week ago ... Read More...

Like other people of my generation, I lament the passing of the summers I had as a child. The unstructured days of wading through creeks and running through neighborhoods, unadorned by adults, unaccountable, free. We played kickball and tag and games with loose rules involving "getting the guy with the ball." Read More...

Last Sunday, IndyCar held its most popular annual US event, the Indianapolis 500. The 92nd running of the event, actually. That got me thinking about risk, and wondering whether risk-taking behavior is culturally determined. Read More...

Author Elizabeth Gilbert described divorce as going through a car wreck every day for two years. That’s one of the best descriptions I have heard, because it contains all the elements of fear, adrenaline, exhaustion, surprise, hurt, anger, distress, disbelief, and a thousand other things you feel when it is happening. Read More...

I find the whole psychology of tattoos fascinating. (Read, “Until I Find You,” by John Irving, not only because I adore everything by John Irving, but also because it’s an interesting look at tattoo artists and people who get tattoos and the ultimate tattoo-ees, those with full-body tattoos). Read More...

One of my absolute favorite things to do is read. I'll read almost anything, although I tend to prefer fiction, don't generally like science fiction (love Robert Heinlein, though), and never read romance. I read like a starving person eats, my eyes flying over the pages, devouring the words, tone, characters, and story. I love books. I love words. I love stories. Read More...

Something that has been on my mind for a very long time is the question of why it is that despite tremendous strides in women's rights and opportunities, women often continue to have lower self esteem than men, continue to tend to pursue lower-paying jobs involving less risk, feel anxiety about appearance, back off from conflict and extreme competition, and worry ourselves to death over not doing things as well as we should. Read More...

Fidel Castro announced on Tuesday he was stepping down as President of the Council of State and commander-in-chief after 49 years as the leader of Cuba.
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Despite the facts that my degree is in political science, I worked for the Federal government for many years, and I believe vehemently in the obligation as well as the right of every American to educate themselves and vote according to what they believe, I have to admit I don't follow the primaries as closely as I could.  I think it's a case of information overload.  Read More...

Before I start, let me say two things:

I don’t know Jamie Lynn Spears or the Spears family, so all my thoughts are just that…thoughts and conjecture.
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Lisa Ruth was born in Alabama, grew up in Northern Virginia, and now lives in South Florida with her wonderful husband and partner, her amazing 8-year-old son, and their two dogs. She is blessed with supportive parents, two loving sisters, in-laws she actually likes, and very generous, magnificent friends. Read More...