I am who I am; I write how I write

I clearly remember envying those in high school who could dig deep into their guts and pour all the world’s angst and turmoil out onto the page and into a poem that figuratively knocked my socks off. Oh, how I wanted to be able to tap such raw emotions! But that’s not...

Cultural literacy

I admit I watch a lot of television. And since I DVR almost all of it to watch as I ride my recumbent bike every morning, I consider my TV time an aide to my overall fitness. (Yep, that’s justification at its finest!) I also rationalize that all my time in front of...

Happy Birthday, Issur Danielovitch!

It’s hard to believe that a former heartthrob of mine turned 98 today. Ninety-freakin-eight! That’s a full 38 years older than me, and I’m not ashamed to admit the guy totally flipped my cookie jar lid for decades. Born to poor Jewish immigrants, Issur became...

Climbing out

I am not a doctor. I am not here giving advice. I am merely relating my own story. In numerous situations throughout my life, I have said, “Just give me a lesson plan to follow, and I’ll be fine.” But when applied to my mental health, I questioned whether this...

When blue turns black

If you’ve been following me on Facebook, you know that I’ve recently been overwhelmed by major depression. In fact, you may be one of those who kindly, or not-so-kindly, pointed it out. A month or so ago, I argued that I knew the difference between situational...