It was so clean, uncluttered, easy to read, to navigate, and it was quiet. It was just right. It was me. I loved it… at first. Actually, I loved it for the first… how long? The first year? When my second book, Threads Around the World: From Arabian Weaving to Batik in Zimbabwe, was about … Read more
My friend Susan pointed her out. “There she is. The woman I told you about. The one with the brain injury.” Susan was pointing at an unremarkable looking woman. A bit on the skinny side, straight brown hair, sitting alone at a table, all her attention on writing in a small notebook. In my previous … Read more
Sometimes I forget my limitations. Often I ignore them, on purpose. In particular, when it comes to travel, though I do make some concessions to the bloody brain—I am willing to take my chances. I knew the trip was was going to be a challenge. I took it anyway. The flight out of Pittsburgh was … Read more
I feel lost. I know what I want to write about. I’ve written bits and pieces. But it won’t gel. I’ve tried stepping back to take a break, to gain a better perspective. What is this story about? Normally, all it takes is a shower. I stand under the shower head, water streaming down my … Read more
A student came to my office, looked around my office. As he crossed the threshold, his step faltered. I turned to see what had caused his reaction—he was staring at my calendar, a Jewish calendar with a big Star of David emblazoned on it. Curious, I scrutinized him, searching for a clue that would explain … Read more
Shoes off. Coat and hoodie in the bin. Wait. My belt—I whip it off, roll it up, and tuck it under the coat. I check my pockets. Oh yes, liquids—I pull the ziploc bag out of my backpack. I think I’ve got it all. Oops, the iPad. I sigh as I reach over to get … Read more
Is this it? Have I finally found that elusive magic pain killer? Living a full life comes at a price. Among many other symptoms, I suffer from extreme fatigue and debilitating headaches. Spending my life hiding a darkened room is not an option. I will not surrender to my damaged brain. I recently returned from … Read more
I paused, took a deep breath, then read through the problem again. It still looked like a tangle of black yarn with no beginning and no end. Okay, okay, I can do this. Line by line. Sentence by sentence. I read the first sentence: “An island is 2 miles due north of its closest point … Read more
I pulled away from the gas pump— Klunk! I looked to Joyce. “What the hell was that?” “I think that must have been the nozzle.” I drew a blank. “What do you mean it was the nozzle? Which nozzle?” Joyce shrugged. “The gas nozzle. I guess you forgot to take it out.” My inner volcano, … Read more
I thanked my Facebook friends for their good wishes. “You’ve warmed the cockles of my heart.” scrolled down some more and logged out. Eyelids heavy, I put my phone down, and rolled over. I was confident I’d get back to sleep. I sank into my pillow, relaxed my muscles one by one, and focused on … Read more