Today was a happy day for our church, St. Thomas the Apostle in Hollywood. Two of our parishioners, Shireen Baker and Steve DeMuth, were ordained as deacons; in six months, they will become Episcopal priests. They were 2 of the 11 people who were ordained today downtown at St. John’s Cathedral with Jon Bruno, Bishop…
Month: June 2013
Santa Monica Shootings Today
Today a gunman walked onto the campus of Santa Monica College and starting shooting an automatic weapon. This is the school all three of my children attended, many of their friends, along with many students from Beverly Hills. Four students are now dead and several more are critically injured. The gunman is also dead. This…
On Being Married 33 Years
Tomorrow is my 33rd wedding anniversary. Ray and I have somehow managed to be married longer even than my own parents, who made it to 32 years before my dad passed away. That is a strange experience for me – to be married longer than my parents who I always thought had a respectably long…
What Makes Me Dull and Uninteresting: A List
This was a writing prompt from Dinty W. Moore’s book: Crafting the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction. What makes me dull and uninteresting? A list in no particular order: 1) Being too polite 2) Being self-absorbed 3) Being afraid 4) Being nervous and self-conscious 5) Not taking risks 6) Not…
“Should” and Me – A Lesson
I have a thing about the word “should.” I can’t stand it when people use it, particularly in reference to me. I go into swinging mode and find myself instantly defensive and angry. “You should…” says to me that you don’t think I know what’s best for me. You need to tell me instead. Of…
A Tasty Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
I made these cookies today. The dough is mixed, chilled, then cut into slabs for baking. I have included below the original recipe from a GREAT cookie cookbook: bigfatcookies by Elinor Klivans. (I found my copy at a thrift store and use it often.) Because Ray and I don’t eat refined sugar, I have added…
Good Storytelling in the Film “Mud”
I saw the movie Mud today and I can highly recommend it. I was impressed with the acting – a welcome surprise when it comes to Matthew McConaughey. I also thought the story was first-rate and illustrated a few elements that are important for all good story telling. These elements include: A rich setting. The…
Beach: Then and Now
The first time I sat on the beach at an ocean was when I was sixteen-years-old and I had come to Sierra Madre, CA from Texas to visit my sister, Leslie. She took me to Manhattan Beach, which was beautiful except for the offshore oil derricks. I had a brand new white bikini that I…
20 Minutes a Day 