A Good Deed

It was a cold and icy winter day. There was no snow on the ground, but the temperatures plummeted below zero for the prior week. A perfect recipe for ground ice.  17-year-old Greg woke early at 7am on Saturday morning and groggily bundled up to go to swimming practice.  Mr. Herbert, Greg’s swim coach, insistedContinue reading “A Good Deed”

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 “

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”

Darkness Within

The dark sky loomed, relentlessly following every step, blocking every turn. I never thought I could feel so powerless.  How could the world twist so out of control that it would target my child? I’ve always trailed my own unconventional path, but I can’t imagine what it feels like to be trapped in your ownContinue reading “Darkness Within”

Queens of Cruisin’

It was 1 AM at night, but the sun was still out. At least it was in my mind. That night, the sun,moon and stars converged and reflected in the shine of my silver metallic 1978 CamaroBerlinetta while I was cruisin’.The first time I went cruisin’, I thought it was stupid. All night teens droveContinue reading “Queens of Cruisin’”

Everyone needs a Peter Pan in their life. Just as he opened up a new world to Wendy, in her own magical way, my aunt showed me a completely different way to live. When I was about 10-years-old, I started to rebel against my mother. If she said the sky was blue, I said itContinue reading

What is Emotional Bullying?

Most people agree a bully is someone who physically assaults another by pushing, hitting, punching, grabbing, knocking books out of hands, stuffing someone into a locker or a dumpster, sticking a head into a toilet, etc. But physical bullying is not the only brand of terror; emotional bullying often leaves as many and deeper scars,Continue reading “What is Emotional Bullying?”

A Starry Night

One of the best things about being a kid is exploring and noticing the little things in life. Tyler and his friends were no different.  On a warm summer night, they enjoyed a rite of passage for eleven-year-olds, the backyard tent sleepover. Tyler and his dad pitched a small pup tent in the backyard andContinue reading “A Starry Night”

Which of These Things Don’t Belong Together?

SNEAK PEAK! This is a character introduction to an upcoming YA/middle-grade book “Popularity”. Certain kinds of combinations like spaghetti and meatballs, movies and popcorn, and shoes and socks are famous pairs, but socks and sandals or spaghetti and tuna are definitely not.   What if people were like that? Meredith was. She was movies andContinue reading “Which of These Things Don’t Belong Together?”

Newtakes not mistakes

Albert Einstein said “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.” After all, one person’s mistake is another’s invention. That statement was never truer than with my childhood friend, Skizitz. Others saw everything she did as a mistake, but to me, it was creative and amazing. She was definitely an original. AsContinue reading “Newtakes not mistakes”