While traversing the vast regions of the USA on a month long roadtrip in the 70s, my parents had a lot of rules of the road. You can only eat at McDonald’s, Howard Johnson’s or Burger King. My mom believed big corporations and franchises were always reliable. She had no interest in local flavor. WeContinue reading “Rules of the Roadtrip”
Category Archives: parenting
Labor Day
Every Labor Day, I can’t help thinking of the best and worst 24 hours of my life. The day my sweet angel was born and the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. My baby was scheduled to be born August 1, but the baby didn’t get the memo. Every week in August, I went to theContinue reading “Labor Day”
Sweet Little Lies
“Mirror mirror on the wall… who doesn’t want to look in this mirror at all,” Grace said as she looked at herself in the dressing room mirror, disgusted. “Come on, Mom. How long does it take to try on a bathing suit. Let’s see,” her daughter Ashley yelled from outside the dressing room. Grace frozeContinue reading “Sweet Little Lies”
Accidents Happen
It was an accident. A spectacular accident, but an accident nonetheless. I’m an artist. Graduating from a very prestigious art school, for years, I diligently worked on paintings for the important gallery opening I always saw in my future. But to pay the bills I painted commissioned art for commercial billboards to sell various productsContinue reading “Accidents Happen”
One Ides of March
Log date March 15 0700 hours. My nerves are raw. My anxiety at peak. I did not enter any REM sleep last night. All I could do is glare at the ceiling for the clock to strike. Waiting for the alien invasion we’ve expected for sometime is unnerving. We’ve prepared. We’ve trained. But I don’tContinue reading “One Ides of March”
Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno
Soon after our California departure, the view from the backseat was blank. Literally nothing to see. But then some snow capped mountains appeared bigger and bigger in the windshield, despite the 70 degree temperature. It was so out of place in the desert, it almost looked like a movie set, so my dad decided toContinue reading “Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno “
A Christmas Quest for Power
Parents want to give everything to their kids and deny them nothing. Before I had children, though, I remember watching with confusion and slight disdain the news coverage of otherwise normal parents turning into mob rioters just to score a Cabbage Patch Kid for their children’s Christmas present. I couldn’t believe people could put suchContinue reading “A Christmas Quest for Power”
I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7
The difference between being a preteen and a child on a family vacation is like the comparing Mount Everest to the dirt hill kids jump their bikes over. It’s a continental divide. During my preteen years, I wanted to be cool and strived to seem grown-up. And I definitely did not want to act likeContinue reading “I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7”
A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes
Episode 6 – Tales from the Backseat California here we are. After three weeks navigating most of the lower half of the US and a bit of Mexico, we finally made it to the golden west coast. And as any red-blooded American family, the first place we went was DISNEYLAND. It was the mecca of small childrenContinue reading “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes”
A Mother’s Day Perspective
Recently we celebrated Mother’s Day with various trappings of appreciation. Flowers, candy, dinner or some bonding event are annual events spotlighting gratitude with a 24 hour expiration. And yet it’s nice to take a breath and reflect on what it means to be a mother. Perspective is often more illuminating about love than any gift. YoungContinue reading “A Mother’s Day Perspective”
SUZANNE RUDD HAMILTON 