For years, I made this special treat for my great-niece and great-nephew, my sister Leslie’s grandkids, for Thanksgiving when they came to LA. We cooked up the syrup and constructed this delicious baklava together. This recipe calls for regular sugar, but I have added my tried and true honey and maple sugar ingredients in parentheses…
Month: December 2024
The Value of a Good Wander in Personal Essay Writing
I referenced this piece in a class I was teaching today. I think this applies to not just writing but life in general. A good wander serves many good purposes. Any of my personal essay students will tell you that I often say, “It’s important to use writing as a form of discovery.” I contend…
The Benefit of An Extra Set of Eyes on Writing
I recently received an impromptu call from a student applying to law school. “I just need two minutes of your time to read over my essay, ” he said. Two hours and twenty minutes later, we said goodbye. What happened in between? We went line by line and unscrambled any confusing sentences, removed redundancies, looked…
When You’re Craving Comfort Food: A Recipe for Tasty Turkey Meatloaf
This is a tried-and-true recipe for turkey meatloaf that is simply delicious. I love to serve this with mashed potatoes, garden vegetables, and a side salad. Pure comfort food. Turkey Meatloaf 1 1/2 pound lean ground turkey1 cup milk or chicken broth1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil1/2 teaspoon…
That Brazen Inner Voice
Daring to dream, what does that really mean?Taking the riskQuelling that voice that shouts, “Who do you think you are?”Pushing past well-meaning friends and family who express their fears of your likely failure and the hurt it will cause you.They think it’s love, and they really do love you.But just as young parents want to…
Tribute to My Late Brother Jim on His Birthday Today
Today is my older brother Jim’s birthday. He was born in 1946 and died in 1995 from AIDS. Jim was one of those guys who loved both sailing and flying. He owned a 45-foot ocean-faring sailboat and a Bonanza Beechcraft airplane. He sailed to Hawaii in his sailboat; he flew to Texas, picked up our…
Ethan’s Early Birthday Celebration
Ray and I will be out of town on Ethan’s 2nd birthday, December 14th, so we celebrated today instead. Unfortunately, Ethan’s daddy, Ron, is sick in bed with the flu, so he missed the festivities. (Hope you feel better soon, Ron. We missed you.) We started the day with an all-morning visit with Papa and…
Thank You, Dr. Lucas Hilderbrand, for Your Excellent Book Reading at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood.
A few weeks back, I helped coordinate a book reading at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, my socially liberal Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. The author, Dr. Lucas Hilderbrand, read and discussed his non-fiction book, The Bars Are Ours: Histories and Cultures of Gay Bars in America, 1960 and After. Lucas is a film professor…
What My Childhood Self Would Think of My Adult Life
What would the child I once was think about the adult I have become? I think she would be happy with much of my life. She would love the orange grove, my children, their partners, and my grandchildren, Luna, Nico, Lyla, and Ethan. Plus, she would think Ray is funny. She would be pleased that I…
Flash Memoir: Afternoons with Mr. Morgan
I’ve posted this piece before. It’s one of my happiest memories of growing up. I decided this evening was a good time to revisit the kind and loving Mr. Morgan of my youth. Mr. Morgan was a retired Episcopal priest who lived a few houses up from my family on East 9th Street in my…
20 Minutes a Day 