This is the second of what will be a three-part series; here’s part one. It might seem strange if your family is free of financial comparisons and resentments (assuming such families exist), and I understand it might not be too relatable at the moment, but it provides context for part three. If I had a […]
Money Changes Everything: Part II Read More »
Debt is bondage, and not the fun kind, so I’ve always despised it. Most of my adult life was spent assiduously avoiding it, even when that meant making choices that seemed unpalatable to my peers, like using Tracfones that couldn’t browse the Internet or brown-bagging lunch every day for years on end. Lucinda Williams, the
Money Changes Everything: Part I Read More »
If anyone has an acoustic guitar handy, you might want to gently strum the Weebles jingle as I acknowledge with some irritation that today I too wobbled but didn’t fall down — because our front door was partially open and its angled side was in the way. It’s a monster-thick, frighteningly heavy wooden door that’s
Crankenstein and I were perusing desserts on our most recent jaunt to an Asian supermarket when she plucked a box of wife cakes from the shelf and mused “I might start calling you this.” We deliberately avoided the turtle tanks, lest I have a turtle nightmare — a nod to one of the more infamous
You Break, You Pay Read More »
Soon I’ll have no choice but to block Middle Sister’s number — she’s the opposite of Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond earrings and never brings me luck. This morning she called and despondently asked “Have you heard about Dad?” No, I hadn’t heard about Dad, but I remembered the last time she called with a similar question
Wear Your Damn Sunscreen Read More »
If there’s one thing I’m normally good at, it’s waiting. Early in life, I had no time to waste: I was born a month early, hit most milestones sooner than my siblings, was weaned in practically no time, and spooked an aunt on Halloween by reading the neighbors’ yard signs and decorations when I was
The Waiting is the Hardest Part Read More »
First of all, I’m not entirely sold on the title of this post, but a musical reference was needed and calling this “Drinkn’stein” wouldn’t have made any sense when I’m a teetotaler. (If you’re already lost, that’s probably a good thing; it means you’ve wasted far less of your life than some of us have
Tennessee Homesick Blues Read More »
Pamela Sue Martin. It’s a name most people 40 and under won’t recognize, but many followers of my telefilm reviews were children of the ’70s. If you’re reading this right now, odds are you can vividly recall Martin, who was in The Poseidon Adventure and followed a stint on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries by
The ‘Dynasty’ Incident (and Painting Progress) Read More »
There’s a “Big Yellow Taxi” situation currently unfolding in my family, except it has nothing to do with environmentalism and everything to do with drama. Normally we’re a pretty staid bunch, so some of my relatives are really struggling with this — their bodies are rejecting what’s happening. It’s a tricky thing to write about
One of my earliest memories involves infidelity. It’s a fact I’m often reminded of when watching TV movies, a disproportionate number of which — especially those made in the ’80s and ’90s — feature straying spouses. The monotony of all that adultery eventually wears thin, or simply strikes you as absurd, which is one of
Your Cheatin’ Heart Read More »