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Auntie Kiki at the Theatre
The sixth installment in the Auntie Kiki series.
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Auntie Kiki at the Zoo
The fifth installment in the Auntie Kiki short story series.
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Auntie Kiki Gives A Speech
The fourth short story in the Auntie Kiki series.
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Auntie Kiki and the Garden
A short story
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Four People Awake
A poem
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To Seek Enlightenment
A poem
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Lili Greets Me at the Door
A poem
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Dear LW: Rainbow Baby Blanket
An email from a reader and my response to it.
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Dear LW: Cheating Best Friend
An email I received from a reader about his best friend and my reply to it.
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Dad’s Guitar
A poem
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Auntie Kiki, The Teacher
A short story
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Ambulance’s Siren
A poem
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Tilda Pretends to Be Asleep
A poem
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Some People Are Not Meant to Be Caregivers
A poem
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January Cold
A poem
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Auntie Kiki at the Beach
A short story
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The Saggy Baggy Elephant-An Analysis
A short analysis of Kathryn & Byron Jackson’s children’s book
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Tootle-An Analysis
A short analysis of Gertrude Crampton’s children’s story
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Days Like Today
A poem
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I Don’t Know What to Do With This Anger
A poem
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We Met at Eighteen
A poem
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The Child Will Grow
A poem.
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Our Clarity at the Beach
A poem.
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The Noises of A Silent Room
A poem
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The Paths
A short story inspired by a time my mind wandered while I was staying at the hospital with my best friend.
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Ode to a Butterfly
An essay inspired by seeing a butterfly and the loss of my best friend.
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Hannah at the Beach
A short story about an impromptu mother daughter trip to the beach on a rainy day.
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I Was Nikki's Caregiver
An article about my time as my deceased best friend's caregiver.
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In Review: Date Night
Have you been waiting for the right movie to take your significant other to? Could a comedy about a date night gone wrong be that movie? What if Steve Carell and Tina Fey starred in this movie? If my questions piqued your interest then I think you...
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In Review: How to Train Your Dragon
This past Wednesday, I had the good fortune of seeing How to Train Your Dragon in an empty theater. It should be noted that it was a late showing and on a night when few people normally venture out to see a movie and therefore has nothing to do with...
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In Review: The Last Song
Are you a fan of Miley Cyrus? Can Nicholas Sparks do no wrong in your eyes? Do you enjoy movies that use every tactic known to movie makers in an attempt to make you cry? If you answered in the positive to any or all of the above questions then...
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Gift Ideas for People You Feel Obligated to Give To
I went to college with a girl who always purchased presents for people who, in her opinion, could be valuable to her in the future. This same girl was notorious for giving belated birthday presents to her family and friends or forgetting them...
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In Review: Alice In Wonderland
Do you have fond memories of reading Alice In Wonderland as a child and are curious as to how Lewis Carroll’s quirky characters are depicted in the latest film adaptation? Are you a fan of Tim Burton’s movies and would gladly go to see anything...
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In Review: Shutter Island
Do you enjoy movie mysteries that are set in mental hospitals? Are you from Massachusetts and are curious as to what the old Medfield State Hospital (and other area locations) looks like on film? Is Leonardo DiCaprio your favorite actor and you’d...
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In Review: The Wolfman
Do you enjoy horror movies? Are you a fan of Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt or one of the many other stars who pop in to pay the wolf a visit? Could it be that you’re curious as to what computer animators have done to the 1941...
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Kids In Cuffs
I read an article on CNN.com Thursday afternoon and have not been able to get it off of my mind. Earlier this month, a twelve year old girl from Forest Hills, New York was arrested (and later released without penalty) for doodling on her desk. The...
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In Review: Dear John
Are you a fan of Nicolas Sparks and his tearjerker novels? Did you enjoy Amanda Seyfried’s performance in Mama Mia and are interested in seeing more of her work? Could you be looking for the right movie to take your date to? If you answered in the...
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Analysis of Charlotte Bronte's "On the Death of Anne Bronte"
Read the text of Charlotte Bronte's poem about the death of her sister, as well as an analysis.
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A Closer Look At Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
Are you looking for a family-friendly movie to take your children to that you will also enjoy? Did you grow up watching the Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon? Could it be that you saw the first movie and what to know if the squeal…I mean the...
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In Review: It's Complicated
Do you enjoy comedies that just happen to be romantic? Are you a fan of Meryl Streep and would see her in anything? Could you use some help coming to terms with your divorce? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions than chances...
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Nine In Review
Does the idea of seeing a movie musical intrigue you? Have you seen a stage production of Nine and are curious about how much it has changed now that it’s in movie form? Are you simply a fan of one of the many actors (Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion...
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My Review of The Princess and the Frog
Are you a fan of anything Disney? Might you be bewitched by the beauty and history of New Orleans? Does Randy Newman’s music make you tap your feet? Did you grow up being told the story of the Frog Prince and would enjoy hearing a new take on it?...
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Everybody's Fine In Review
Are you a fan of Robert De Niro’s work? Do you enjoy movies that are considered “tearjerkers”? Would you figuratively walk through fire for your siblings? If so, Everybody’s Fine might just be the movie for you. Based on the Giuseppe...
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A Closer Look at Anna Akhmatova's I Don't Know If You're Alive or Dead
I don't know if you're alive or dead. Can you on earth be sought, Or only when the sunsets fade Be mourned serenely in my thought? All is for you: the daily prayer, The sleepless heat at night, And of my verses, the white Flock, and of my...
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Reflecting On This Is It
Whether he cares to admit to it or not, at the age of nine, my middle brother wanted to be Michael Jackson. Like so many others, he tried to master the moonwalk. He enjoyed randomly bursting out into high-pitch singing. In fact, there is a video of...
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Yes! I So Scared You!
I need to be honest with you about something. All my life, I’ve enjoyed scaring people. You may be tempted now to write me off as a bully. I don’t blame you. Still, you need to know that it’s not a daily or weekly occurrence. Now that you know...
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Visiting St. Trinian's School For Bad Girls
Are you a fan of British comedies? Do you believe Rupert Everett to be a versatile actor and have always wondered what he’d look like in drag? Is your sense of humor a little off? If you answered yes to these questions than I know the movie for...
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The Haircut
It was an unusually warm New England day in the month of September when our twenty-something protagonist decided to get her hair cut. She had lost many hours debating the effects that such a common event would have on the people she loved. You see,...
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Surrogates In Review
Have you ever gone to a movie and wondered what was wrong with you? You see your fellow moviegoers getting into the plot, reacting to every twist and turn that the writer seemed to write just for them. Even your date that, until now, you believed...
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Questions For A Wise Driver
Not until I got behind the wheel again did I remember how therapeutic driving can be. Unless you’re driving a bus load of people or a single talkative soul, even the shortest drive can be just enough time to check back in with yourself. When I’m...
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The Donkey And Self-Worth
When fishes flew and forests walked And figs grew upon thorn, Some moment when the moon was blood Then surely I was born; With monstrous head and sickening cry And ears like errant wings, The devil's walking parody On all four-footed things....
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How to Resist Urges to Buy Useless Products
Though it makes me a disgrace to the shopaholics in my family, I have never been a fan of window shopping or of browsing in general. I do my best to stay away from stores and only travel with a beloved shopaholic if I know for sure that they are too...
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Fame and Infamy Are Only a Step Away From Each Other
Fame is like a river that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid. -Francis Bacon- We have all had a moment when we debated whether or not to seek fame. From an early age, we see performers and politicians...
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Exploring District 9
Do you enjoy movies about aliens? Is one of your secret fears that you may one day contract a virus that will turn you into an alien and you’d like to get some tips on how to cope with that? Are you a fan of Peter Jackson’s and are up for...
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The Time Traveler's Wife In Review
Are you a sappy romantic who enjoyed The Notebook? Do you dream of traveling through time? Could you be in need of a good cry? If so The Time Traveler’s Wife is the movie for you. Based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger...
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Love Is Ageless
All too often in our society we set standards and rules that seem to be outdated or come from a place of fear or misinformation. Having learned such things during a time of early development, we deny ourselves true happiness because we are too...
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Julie & Julia In Review
Have you ever watched a movie and found yourself wishing that it wouldn’t end? Julie & Julia is one those movies. If you’re a sucker for romance, even if you disliked Julia Child, this movie is sure to please you. Directed and written by Nora...
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Orphan In Review
Had I not been overcome with boredom on the same night that one of my local movie theaters was having a bargain night, I most likely would’ve never seen the movie Orphan. Yet, bored I was and $4.75 the tickets were and so I went to see it. In...
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You Are So Sexy
The word “sexy” is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as being both “sexually suggestive or stimulating” and “generally attractive or interesting.” The fact that the “go to” book of definitions can define such a small word in...
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Don't Let The Loser Win!
To hate fatigues. -Jean Rostand- Throughout our lives we encounter people who purposely push the wrong buttons. Too insecure and scared to live a peaceful life, they call you out on your flaws and make your life hell. They steal things from you...
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The End of Innocence and My Little One
My little one whose tongue is dumb, whose fingers cannot hold to things, who is so mercilessly young, he leaps upon the instant things, I hold him not. Indeed, who could? He runs into the burning wood. Follow, follow if you can! He will come...
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Don't Speed!
When you spend too much time as a passenger in a car, you don’t realize how much people speed. Recently, I decided to literally blow the dust off of my car and take a drive. I was amazed at how many people passed by me going well over the speed...
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Observations From Dining at a Chinese Restaurant
We all have a restaurant that we go to only when we’re in a particular area. It’s got okay food. However, the food just isn’t good enough to inspire one to drive out of their way to get to it. This having been said, I went to my version of...
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There's Something to Be Learned From a Gay German
Let me begin by saying that I’ve lost count of the number of times that my sense of humor has embarrassed me. I’m the type of person who loves to make people laugh and rarely minces words when it comes to describing something for comedic effect....
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Is the Proposal for You?
Are you a fan of romantic comedies? Do you find Sandra Bullock to be both talented and enchanting, but wish she’d play a character with more edge? Have you ever wondered what Betty White would look like in Native American garb? If you answered yes...
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I Love You, Rain!
I believe that we take the rain for granted. For many people, a rainy day means canceled plans, horrible traffic and damp clothes. Lucky for me, I come from a family who loves the rain. To the people who hate the rain (and even for the people like...
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I'm Breaking Up With You
The hottest love has the coldest end. -Socrates- Try as you might, you just can’t seem to make your relationship work. Though you never wanted to do this, you’ve decided that the only solution is to break things off. You’ve decided to sit...
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Should I Give Her Lingerie?
I’m the type of person who buys gifts for people without hesitation. I see something amazing that reminds me of someone I know and I buy it to either give it to them immediately or to save it for a special occasion. Though I realize it’s not...
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Taking A Risk
Love makes mutes of those who habitually speak most fluently. -Madeleine de Scudery- Day after day you keep putting off telling them. Every time you see them, you promise yourself that you’ll finally take the plunge. You’ll open your mouth...
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Celebrating America
There is a New America every morning when we wake up. It is upon us whether we will it or not. -Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.- As you may already know (or will soon find out), I am an American citizen. I was born in Lowell (It’s a small city...
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Where Will You Be Dining Tonight?
So, you’re on a family road trip and you’re starving. Your gps informs you that if you get off of the highway at the next exit, you’ll have your choice of several restaurants. As you pull off of the highway, you see a bunch of chains and one...
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Will We Have Sun Tomorrow?
By far, the Weather Channel is the most underrated channel on network and cable television. Without this channel, the world would be a far more chaotic place. While you may disagree, here are ten reasons why I believe this to be true. What Will...
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My Morning At Bernie & Ester's
Have you ever woken up after a long night of partying to discover that you’re not in the right house? No, you probably never have. Yeah, you’re probably one of those “early to bed early to rise” folks who shoos away people like me. ...
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Christina Rossetti & a Need to Be Honest
I tell my secret? No indeed, not I: Perhaps some day, who knows? But not today; it froze, and blows and snows, And you're too curious: fie! You want to hear it? well: Only, my secret's mine, and I won't tell. Or, after all, perhaps there's none:...
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Stuck in a Jam?
If you’re like me, you hate the summer. You hate it not because of the weather (Even when you’re suffering from heat stroke and are burnt to a crisp, the weather still gets a thumbs up.). You hate it not because of the mosquitoes (Who needs...
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So Long, Mr. McMahon!
It makes me sad that Ed McMahon died yesterday. Though I had seen clips of him cracking Johnny Carson up on The Tonight Show and saw an episode or two of the shows Star Search and TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes, I wasn’t what you’d call a...
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Why Be Honest?
You’re a well-liked Catholic high school teacher who wants the best for your students. Though they can be loud and obnoxious at times, you know that they respect you and would never want to see harm befall you. It’s not a perfect situation, but...
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An Unfortunate Ending to a Daughter's Search
Recently, I read a story on CNN.com that has bothered me deeply. A New Jersey woman is suing the state for allowing an unexpected and unwanted reunion (which apparently left her feeling "violated, in shock and short of breath”) to take place...
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You Do Have to Leave the Airport
Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need....
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Puppies In Prison?!?
Yes. It’s true. Puppies are now living in prisons. Apparently local humane societies/animal shelters have had enough of the shenanigans of some pups and have sentenced them to serve time behind bars with their human counterparts. That’ll show...
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My Life in Ruins in Review
Yesterday afternoon, I attended a showing of the new Nia Vardalos movie, My Life In Ruins. Having seen and adored her first movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I secretly hoped that this movie would fill me with the same emotions. Unfortunately, it...
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Identity & Sara Teasdale's I Am Not Yours
I am not yours, not lost in you, Not lost, although I long to be Lost as a candle lit at noon, Lost as a snowflake in the sea. You love me, and I find you still A spirit beautiful and bright, Yet I am I, who long to be Lost as a light is lost in...
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Don't Go Down There!
Looking into the glowing hole, you don’t know why you had to go for that walk. Sure, you were bored, but couldn’t you have just read a book or gone to bed or something? No, on a moonless night you had to go for a walk. You thought that once...
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"Madder Than Fish Grease"
Today in the news I heard about a lawsuit that may be brought against the White Castle fast food chain. Apparently, Ariel Wade, a disabled woman (she has degenerative arthritis in her back) from St. Paul, Minnesota, was hoping to get a late night...
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A Letter To Kate Gosselin
Dear Kate, I hope this letter finds you well. I’ve been meaning to write to you for a couple of years now as I’m a fan of your show. I watch because I enjoy seeing your children interact with each other. I believe them to not only be cute, but...
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Are You One Of These People?
Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude. -Maurice Baring- Every day, I encounter at least one rude person. When I do, I always wonder if it’s just me. Am I having a bad and am just taking someone's...
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Rainy Days Make Great Arcade Days
It’s a rainy day and your two kids are bummed out. You see, you promised them you would take them to the local amusement park. However, because of the weather, it isn’t going to happen. As your vacation days are few, you won’t have a chance to...
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Time to Take a Break
Whether I was to call it a rest area or a rest stop, a travel plaza or a service area, you would know what I was talking about, right? Though this place has many names, the definition is always the same. A rest stop (my term of choice) is a place...
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When Your Steady's Parents Can't Accept You
Happiness can exist only in acceptance. -Denis De Rougemont- A male friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail asking for relationship advice. After months of living in the clouds falling deeper and deeper in love with his girlfriend, Ben has...
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Go Ahead And Cry
Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. -Charles Dickens- Depending on who you ask, crying can either be a sign of weakness or a symbol of how strong your...
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Nose Bleeds Are Such A Pain
Nobody likes to have a nose bleed. They look ugly. Unless you’re a vampire, the dripping blood tastes gross. The clot that forms after a while to stop the bleeding makes it hard to breathe. It’s a sudden, (hopefully) infrequent event that we all...
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Popsicle
The young Mrs. Camdyn had promised to take her five year old son, Reilly, out for ice cream if he behaved during his doctor's appointment. However, it looked like she wasn’t going to be able to keep this promise. Dr. Nelson, that half blind, fuzzy...
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Up in the Air With Up
Being that I’m a fan of all Pixar movies, it went without question that I would see their new movie, Up. That I would enjoy it as much as I did was a surprise even to me. Up is one of those movies that offers something to everyone. The story...
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So Your Loved One Is Graduating?
A Graduation is a truly special day. For some, it is the happy beginning of a new way of life. For others, it is a scary reminder of all that awaits them once they flip that tassel. With Graduation season in full swing, I give you the following ten...
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Dracula And Frankenstein Are Lambs
Someone recently asked me if I thought it was right for two Gothic novels (Dracula by Bram Stoker and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley) to be taught at a Catholic junior high. Being that both stories were offered on the “Read Me, Write About Me”...
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Are Ticket Scalpers Really All That Bad?
If you go to any popular event (theatre, sports, concert, etc.), someone is bound to approach you. They’ll tell you a story about how they bought too many tickets and would be willing to trade you their better tickets for yours plus an extra fee....
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I Will Always Seek Her Approval
I’ve always heard that a person who seeks approval from everyone in their life is just a big chicken and is too afraid to live their life for themselves. From time to time, I am this person…to a degree. While I don’t ask for advice from...
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Ten Tips for Having a Great Day at the Beach
As summer approaches, our minds start to daydream about going to the beach. We long to rest on that warm sand. We can’t wait to splash in that water. Our senses are dying to be pleasured by all that the beach can offer. You see the months before...
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Oh, Eddie!
I tried to watch Frasier every week even if I had a million other things to do. Despite the title character always hopping on my last nerve, for that block of time, I never changed the channel. While the Daphne/Niles relationship was adorable and...
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Have You Been to the Museum Recently?
I’ve never been a fan of sequels. I firmly believe that turning a single movie into a movie series is a bad idea. No matter how wonderful a movie may have been and how charming its characters were, rarely do you actually want to see what happens...
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Reflecting On Heredity
I am the family face; Flesh perishes, I live on, Projecting trait and trace Through time to times anon, And leaping from place to place Over oblivion. The years-heired feature that can In curve and voice and eye Despise the human span Of...
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Reasons To Write
The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say. -F. Scott Fitzgerald- Every writer writes for various reasons. For most of us, it’s because writing is all we know. For others, we write...
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After The Beep
Death? Why this fuss about death. Use your imagination, try to visualize a world without death! ... Death is the essential condition of life, not an evil. -Charlotte Perkins Gilman- Every time someone dies, you either wonder what happens to them...
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You Shouldn't Do That at the Table
Throughout my life, I’ve known people who constantly have a stuffy nose. Whether it is a cold they can’t shake or lifelong allergies, the nose just won’t unblock. When they are hungry, they must decide between eating and breathing. If one...
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Tattooed And Unemployed
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:12 An acquaintance of mine saw a news segment recently about how people are...
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What Are You Doing, Jon and Kate?
I know I shouldn’t give it a second thought, but I’m very bothered by what has happened to the marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin. Though I’m a fan of their show and don’t want it to stop shooting, that’s not why I’m upset. In fact, I...
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Standing Behind A Foolish Idea
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, that is...
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The Terror of Picking out a Helmet
I learned to ride my bike before helmets became gear that no bicyclist child (or adult for that matter) should travel without. Peddling as fast as I could, I would feel the wind through my hair and the dust in my eyes. Some of my fondest childhood...
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Struggling to Write a Letter
Or don't you like to write letters. I do because it's such a swell way to keep from working and yet feel you've done something. -Ernest Hemingway- I am one of those people who struggle just as hard beginning a letter as I do closing it. It...
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My Parents' Comforter
“Time passes, and things change, but there are some things we can hold onto.” Growing up, a family movie night did not begin until the popcorn was made and my parents’ navy blue comforter was laid out on the floor. It didn’t matter what we...
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My Appreciation of The Ruin
I believe we should look at The Ruin by the English poet, Walter De La Mare, in two similar yet different ways. Though it is obvious he is speaking of a historical ruin, I would argue that his words could apply to a more human one. When a scene is...
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Top Ten Things You Shouldn't Do With Your Microwave
Dry Clothes I have heard of people drying their socks and their underwear in the microwave. Personally, I couldn’t do it. While I do see how convenient it is, the idea of cooking my “delicates” in the same place that I pop my corn is too...
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My Mind Is A Room
Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! -Dr. Seuss- I cannot stop thinking. When I consciously try to stop thinking, my mind starts to think about not thinking. I take deep...
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Emma, Her Dog And Her Mother's Naivety
The disposition of noble dogs is to be gentle with people they know and the opposite with those they don't know...How, then, can the dog be anything other than a lover of learning since it defines what's its own and what's alien. -Plato Just...
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A Cramped Bed
Growing up, from what my mother has told me, I never had a problem staying in my room at night. However, I do remember a period when I had some really horrible nightmares. Each night, I would run into my parents’ room and beg to sleep with them....
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Lovebirds & Robert Browning
I. The grey sea and the long black land; And the yellow half-moon large and low; And the startled little waves that leap In fiery ringlets from their sleep, As I gain the cove with pushing prow, And quench its speed i' the slushy sand. II. Then a...
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The Battle Cry Of Friends
"God defend me from my friends; from my enemies I can defend myself." You’re a cool person. People from diverse backgrounds seem to flock to you. It is rare for you to enter a social situation without someone greeting you. You wouldn’t say...
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When A Penny Candy Cost A Penny
I can still feel the hot wooden planks of the snack bar floor under my feet. The dripping water from my bathing suit seems to sizzle as it hits the wood. I move from side to side, hoping that this movement will keep my feet from sticking to the...
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"Let's Get Married"
Can you believe it? Hubpages proposed to me! I was just sorting through requests and there Hubpages was, down on one knee, ring box open, ring sparkling in the afternoon sun, a big smile across Hubpages’ face. I’ll never forget how Hubpages...
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Earth 2
To think that possibly at this precise moment on a planet that has yet to be discovered (and pillaged) there is someone else writing down their thoughts on whether or not other civilizations exist makes me a little paranoid. It also makes me yearn...
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Time To Get Your Driver's License!
It was a warm August morning and I thought I was going to vomit. On the way to the registry, the head of the driving school gave us a pep talk that consisted mainly of him telling us not to get into an accident because that would surely force the...
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My Book Doesn't Freeze
Lord! when you sell a man a book you don't sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book. ...
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A New Face for a Strong Woman
Yesterday, CNN.com published a piece about the recovery of an Ohio woman, Connie Culp, who had been given a face transplant. It should be noted this was the first transplant of its kind to be done in the United States. The article notes that this...
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Shh! A Secret Psycho Letter!
Dear Reader, You say you want to know about the movie Psycho, huh? Well, what exactly would you like to know? I can’t take much time writing this. My mother gets suspicious. She can’t know I’m writing to you. I can tell you that it’s an...
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Do You Exist?
Like many people, I enjoy dining out. While I believe myself to be a good cook, there are some dishes that I prefer to leave to trained professionals. These would be the signature dishes of particular restaurants. They are the ones that look and,...
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Surprises: Yea or Nay?
Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable. -Jane Austen- As I come from a family with members that are easily startled and like to control things, I wasn’t raised to appreciate...
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Whats Your Top Ten Fav Songs of 07?
Looking at the Rolling Stone magazine article, “The 100 Best Songs of 2007,” and other less well known sites, I’m reminded of the songs that were played on a constant loop by my local radio stations that year. It should be noted that, due to...
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How to Write a Play
The art of the dramatist is very like the art of the architect. A plot has to be built up just as a house is built--story after story; and no edifice has any chance of standing unless it has a broad foundation and a solid frame. -Brander Matthews-...
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Why Does The Media Scare You?
You turn on your local news and somewhere in your state there has been an accident. This was no ordinary accident though. An unidentified person (You will later find out that it was a man who, though this information has no relevance to the...
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The Brothers Grimm & Animal Rights
When I was very little, I was absolutely fascinated with a book my oldest brother owned. Though I wasn’t supposed to, I would always play with it, trying to read the words, but not quite getting it. Looking at the pictures and comparing them with...
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My Hypothetical Journey To Space
To venture into space we must be strong-willed and determined. We must be fully committed to its exploration and discovery; space permits no half measures and is unforgiving of mistakes. -Henry Joy McCracken- At some point, every child dreams...
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Gossip: True or False?
As defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, gossip is “a rumor or report of an intimate nature.” Someone who spreads this information is a called a gossip or “a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about...
- 2
The President Has No Clothes On!
Are you familiar with the tale The Emperor’s New Clothes by Danish poet and author, Hans Christian Anderson? If you are not, I will summarize it for you now. There’s this emperor who seems to care more about his appearance than the safety or the...
- 4
Choosing a Tutor for Your Child
Despite the straight A genes of both you and your co-parent, your child is failing nearly every class. He/she does all required homework. By reading their class notes, you know that they are paying attention in class. Their teacher is supportive and...
- 2
Thoughts On God
God is not the name of God, but an opinion about Him. -Pope Xystus I- The times that I have been asked whether or not I believe that we all pray to the same God, I have always answered yes. As I’m not an overly religious person, people seem...
- 1
Yeats, the Fish and Your Cousin
Although you hide in the ebb and flow Of the pale tide when the moon has set, The people of coming days will know About the casting out of my net, And how you have leaped times out of mind Over the little silver cords, And think that you were hard...
- 0
My Friend Is Ruining Her Relationship. Help!!!!!
You have this friend who, despite being a real sweetheart to you, can be a total jerk to her partner. It is uncomfortable for you to be around them because she is always bossing him/her around and, in your opinion, making them feel two inches small....
- 0
How to Survive An Office Party
With each passing day, the date of the dreaded office party draws closer. You have been assigned the job of purchasing “festive” napkins. The thought of this party doesn’t put you in an even remotely festive mood. Office parties are pointless,...
- 0
Shoes: Ten Toe Coverings
On the rare occasions when I venture into a shoe department or a shoe store, my aim is to be in and out within thirty or so minutes. I want to give myself enough time to really look at the shoes and to properly try on the ones I want to try on. My...
- 2
Writing for a School Newspaper, Pros and Cons
For two years in high school, I worked on the school newspaper. In my junior year, I was the head of the news department. My senior year, I was the editor-in-chief. During these two years, I became very familiar with the pros and cons of a school...
- 2
Shopping Online: The Way To Go
Given the choice between standing in line, listening to children whine, their mothers too busy gossiping to pay attention to them or sitting at home in your pajamas, clicking on product links, fending off the advances of pop up ads, which one would...
- 2
Celebrating My Mother's Birthday
I love celebrating my mother’s birthday. Out of all of my family members, she is the most appreciative. She knows I’m busy and could spend the day doing many other things. If she wants to do something for her birthday, she plans ahead. When I go...
- 6
How Is The Truth Interpreted?
We know the truth, not only by the reason, but by the heart. -Blaise Pascal- More often than not, we don’t want to know the truth. In reality, we want to know the version of the truth that allows us to sleep at night. How true a truth truly...
- 0
Time Served At St. Louis School
If you have read any of my past hubs, you know a thing or two about my education. I attended a parochial school kindergarten through eighth grade. Before going to a four year Catholic college, I went to a public high school. At all three...
- 7
What Do You Think About Weight Watchers?
Let me begin by saying that I have no factual information to back up this piece. If you’re looking for someone to either convince you to join or not join Weight Watchers, I am not that person. My piece is more observational, serving more for food...
- 5
Which Body Wash Is The One For You?
I have never been a fan of special bath products. I find them to be costly and, generally, dry out my skin. I was raised to use only basic soap and, up until last year, that was all I used. Not until Walgreens had this promotion to get a bottle of...
- 2
Is There a Need for Looking Inside Ourselves to Make Our Dreams and Goals Come True
Beginning the moment they develop speaking skills, children are asked by the adults in their lives what they would like to be when they grow up. More often than not, kids say that they want to be such and such because their parents make a living...
- 0
Religious Disputes In Families
Amazing as it may seem, disputes about faith and religion have been known to divide families. A child raised in the Catholic faith one day decides to study Wicca. An ordinary Sunday prayer meeting at a family member’s house becomes so intense that...
- 0
Black Pants
I would argue that no wardrobe is complete without a pair of reliable, well-fitting black dress pants. Depending on what you pair them with, your outfit can be casual or formal. Black dress pants fit in anywhere and everywhere. For people who...
- 16
I Dare You!
Now and again, I still enjoy playing the game Truth or Dare. As a much shyer younger person, I always picked “truth” because I found this as an easy way to get people to ask me the questions that I wanted to give them the answers to anyway....
- 3
A Closer Look At Emerson's Forbearance
Hast thou named all the birds without a gun; Loved the wood-rose, and left it on its stalk; At rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse; Unarmed, faced danger with a heart of trust; And loved so well a high behavior In man or maid, that thou from...
- 0
Some Thoughts On Easter
Easter, so longed for, is gone in a day. -James Howell- For over a month now, I’ve watched people prepare for their private Easter celebrations. I’ll go into a store and the person in front of me in line will have their basket full of...
- 2
The Reader: The Best Movie of 2008
When asked the question, “What is the best movie you have seen in the last year and why?” a movie I reviewed a couple of months ago popped into my head. I would argue that this movie is perhaps the best movie I have seen in years. It is such a...
- 3
To Be Single or Not to Be Single
While it’s nice to have a special someone, do we actually need to have one in order to live a fulfilled life? This same question has been posed by numerous singletons and dissatisfied better halves since the beginning of time. With all of the...
- 36
Lazy Teenager vs. Frustrated Parent
All they do is sit on the couch and watch television. They spend so many hours using the computer that their butt has left a permanent impression on the chair. You believe that there must be something medically wrong with your child because they are...
- 0
Keeping The Time With My Watch
Until I have put my security blanket…umm… I mean my watch on, my day has not begun. On those scary days when my watch has been misplaced or the battery has died, I am nervous, moody and an all around pain. My equilibrium has been thrown off and...
- 36
Dealing With Your Hypochondriac Loved Ones
At some point in our lives, we’ve all known someone who made every itch, pain and sniffle sound like it was the end of the world. They believed they were experiencing something unique. Everyone around them had to stop what they were doing and note...
- 2
Happy Places and Eugene O'neill's Free
Free Weary am I of the tumult, sick of the staring crowd, Pining for wild sea places where the soul may think aloud. Fled is the glamour of cities, dead as the ghost of a dream, While I pine anew for the tint of blue on the breast of the old...
- 5
Play Before Work
Despite telling your child to turn off the television, it is still on. How can he/she be doing solid work with such a distraction? You walk by the family computer and notice that, even though you forbid it, your child is playing an online game...
- 2
Does Divorce Change A Family?
When I was in my mid-teens, my Dad moved out and my parents got a divorce. Though it was coming for a long time, when it eventually did happen, it brought definite changes. My home environment suddenly resembled the homes of the bulk of my friends....
- 0
Scams And Dead Distant Relatives
Dear Sir/Madam/Pet/Inanimate Object: I am writing to you today to inform you of some most dreadful and, for you, beneficial news. Your very distant Uncle Aunty of West Beagle Soilville died of a computer virus this past Jantember. In their will,...
- 2
My Teachers Are Exceptional
If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them...
- 2
Sunshine Cleaning In Review
When money is tight, you tend to pay more attention to where you spend it. For many people, going to the movies nowadays is a rare occurrence. You have to really want to go see something in order to justify spending ten dollars on admission. That...
- 4
An Animal Hero and a Human Who Is an Animal
In the news recently there was a story that truly touched my heart. This past November, a parrot saved a little girl’s life. When Hannah began to choke on her breakfast, Willie frantically called for her babysitter. “Mama, baby!” he repeatedly...
- 0
Avoidable Awkward Situations
You’re in a store or a restaurant or some other public place and a stranger approaches you. They smile at you. You smile back. You check your watch or look around or do something that should say to this stranger that you don’t want to interact...
- 4
The Agony of Being a Concerned Friend
Real friendship is shown in times of trouble; prosperity is full of friends. -Euripedes- Sometimes it is very hard to be someone's friend. These are the times when they need you the most. You see your friend making a mistake. Cautiously and...
- 8
Death and Tennyson's a Farewell
Flow down, cold rivulet, to the sea, Thy tribute wave deliver: No more by thee my steps shall be, For ever and for ever. Flow, softly flow, by lawn and lea, A rivulet then a river; No where by thee my steps shall be, For ever and for ever. But...
- 4
Lessons Learned From Peanuts
Linus was my favorite Peanut when I was little. He is cute (Sally Brown agrees with me.). He has strong beliefs. (He believed in the Great Pumpkin when no one else did.) He doesn’t care about his reputation. (Even as he ages, he never leaves home...
- 6
The Joys Of Clipping Coupons
While a newspaper is delivered every day, the Sunday paper is a very special one. It is twice the size of a weekday paper. It documents the tales of the absurd, the mundane and the in between. (On a Monday, you may not read about Mrs. Golden’s tap...
- 7
Bumper Sticker Sayings
More often than not, the car that is stopped in front of you at a red light or stop sign proudly displays bumper stickers. While not abundantly stimulating, they do give you something to read to help pass the time. When you’re a passenger, as I...
- 3
Childhood Through The Eyes Of Richard Aldington
The bitterness. the misery, the wretchedness of childhood Put me out of love with God. I can't believe in God's goodness; I can believe In many avenging gods. Most of all I believe In gods of bitter dullness, Cruel local gods Who scared my...
- 4
Tired Of Hearing About The Ex?
After years of searching and going on dates that never should’ve happened, you’ve finally found “the one.” You hear wedding bells. You imagine what your children will look like. You see yourself dying old with a smile on your face. All signs...
- 4
A Question Of Netiquette?
The liberty of the individual must be far limited; he must not make himself a nuisance to other people. -John Stuart Mill- While I know your question was probably rhetorical, I have wondered the same question repeatedly today. Looking for...
- 15
Thoughts On Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is a Sci-Fi channel reality television series that debuted in 2004. It features Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, two men from Rhode Island who are plumbers by day and paranormal investigators by night. With the group they’ve founded...
- 5
Fighting for the Truth
Your loved one has just been in a serious accident. They may be hours from dying. They may be brain dead. You haven’t been told yet. All you know is that they are being treated down the hall by doctors who have saved countless lives. Everything is...
- 1
A Take On Trendy Add-Ons
Have you been given a chance to grow a virtual garden? Do you wish you could be referred to in the real world by the knight name you’ve been issued? Are you tired of your friends sending you virtual pets? Do you often have the urge, in the real...
- 3
Displays A Good Attitude
I love listening to teachers discussing report cards. You can tell by the tone of their voice which student deserves to pass and which student is passing out of generosity/pity. You can also tell by what personal comments are added to the card which...
- 5
A Cluttered Desk
If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk? -Dr. Laurence J. Peter- There is a program on my computer that automatically cleans my desktop. It used to check with me before it did its thing, but,...
- 0
I Love You, Stranger!
How do you get into a relationship with a girl/boy who doesn’t know you? This is a good question posed by everyone at some point. We all have fallen for the cutie with no name. To begin with, you need to introduce yourself. You need to get this...
- 7
Using Emoticons Appropriately In Online Conversations
How many times can you use emoticons in an instant message before it becomes excessive? I’ve always wondered this. While I don’t know the definite answer, I do have an opinion. At thirteen, having a very basic version of AOL, I didn’t use...
- 1
Character Analysis of Serafina Delle Rose
My analysis of Seraphina Delle Rose in Tennessee William's Play "The Rose Tattoo"
- 10
Thoughts On Frost's Lockless Door
It went many years, But at last came a knock, And I thought of the door With no lock to lock. I blew out the light, I tip-toed the floor, And raised both hands In prayer to the door. But the knock came again. My window was wide; I climbed on the...
- 7
Overcoming Bad Friendships
Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company. -George Washington- Though a friendly enough person, I have never been an ace at making friends. I make...
- 6
Inspired By Jack Prelutsky's Nose Poem
Be glad your nose is on your face, not pasted on some other place, for if it were where it is not, you might dislike your nose a lot. Imagine if your precious nose were sandwiched in between your toes, that clearly would not be a treat, for you'd...
- 0
Chat Rooms Of Today
You enter a chat room and immediately five people send you an instant message. “A/S/L” they write. As the room you have just entered is not a dating related room, it’s bizarre that they would ask for your age, sex and location. It is even...
- 4
Do You Remember The Wuzzles?
To be honest, I can’t really say I had a favorite cartoon growing up. For anyone with siblings, you know that when you don’t have control of the remote, you rarely get to watch the entirety of a show. If the remote holder (in my case, one of my...
- 1
Memories Of My Father
It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was. -Anne Sexton- Knowing that today was approaching, I debated about whether or not I should write on my father. If I were to write about him, what would I say? When do I cross...
- 5
When Scum Gravitate Towards Good People
It’s a Friday night. You and a bunch of your friends are dining at a local chain restaurant. It is your night to unwind. It is the night you set aside to reconnect with people you barely had time to speak to during the week. It is supposed to be...
- 7
Going to the Zoo
As a child, one of my favorite weekend day trips was going to the zoo. Though we only went once a month, the memories stayed with me between trips. I would rush to the monkey house, hoping to get their attention. My mom would call me over to the...
- 5
Living With My Grandmother
It’s three in the morning and she’s walking down the street on a mission to get coffee from the corner store for her sick father. Her mother watches her from the stoop, unable to leave her husband and her sleeping babies. She clutches her coin...
- 4
A Call For Passionate Living
Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. -Christian Friedrich Hebbel- To begin with, what is passion? Merriam-Webster defines it as “intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction.” For me, passion is...
- 0
Poe & Ghosts
Thy soul shall find itself alone 'Mid dark thoughts of the grey tomb-stone; Not one, of all the crowd, to pry Into thine hour of secrecy. Be silent in that solitude, Which is not loneliness- for then The spirits of the dead, who stood...
- 4
Returning To High School
Walking down the hallway, you are surrounded by teenagers. Your ears are overwhelmed by the sounds of talking, laughing, books dropping, lockers slamming, and bags of food opening. On your right, a young man pushes by you on his way to class. On...
- 3
Family Dinner
While dining out last night, I saw a truly beautiful thing. A family was seated at the table next to ours. They consisted of parents, two little boys and, I’m going to assume, a grandmother. Unlike the children who were seated there before them,...
- 1
Murder Over Status
Your marriage is quickly becoming a thing of the past. You are desperate to keep that from happening. If only you could get through to your spouse, you know you could save the relationship. On a whim, you check their Facebook account. In the...
- 2
We All Have A Messy Room
Messy Room Whosever room this is should be ashamed! His underwear is hanging on the lamp. His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair, And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp. His workbook is wedged in the window, His sweater's been...
- 3
After Holiday Shopping Can Be Deadly
With Valentine’s Day having just passed, Easter being right around the corner and the Christmas count down beginning earlier and earlier each year, will it ever be safe to go to your local drugstore again? Customers pushing each other. Calories...
- 0
The Peas Attacked Me!
An acquaintance of mine told me about an “accident” she was involved in at her local grocery store last week. While she was searching for a box of frozen corn, a box of frozen peas fell and hit her shoulder. Thinking me a wise person and...
- 0
Parents, Your Children Are Listening
“Careful the things you say Children will listen Careful the things you do Children will see and learn Children may not obey, but children will listen Children will look to you for which way to turn To learn what to be Careful before you...
- 0
Another Excuse To Cheat
As if they needed another excuse, cheaters now have another reason to explain away their flaws. The University of Montreal conducted a study on cheating and their findings were recently published. In short, they’ve discovered that people who...