I did something at least 50% out of character for me this weekend.  I went on a weekend getaway to the Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA.  I'm going to call it "a retreat," because it sounds fun, even though it wasn't anything that official.  I had this vision of cabana boys feeding me grapes and … Continue reading My trip to Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA: 14 expectations for your visit…but funny →

I was standing there doing procedures today...  By the way, I do procedures 3 times a week, and it's basically a half hour of intense visual concentration and hand-eye coordination times ten, but frequently, my thoughts are allowed to wander, so if it seems like half the posts here start with "I was standing there … Continue reading I hate the limbic system →

Well, so, just like anything in parenting, we have our ups and we have our downs, and often they come in rapid succession.  Just yesterday I was fawning over my son's genius, basking in the glow of his awesomeness...   And today, I was sent crashing down from Olympus with astonishing velocity. His teacher called. She … Continue reading All these thoughts… →

My son just never ceases to amaze me.  And my daughter, too.  And also, how different they are.  In yet another installment of "My child is a genius," I bring you this story.  It really belongs in the "Sh*t my son says" section, but it's too long and too great to stick there. First, a … Continue reading Teaching kids about illness: when vague explanations just don’t cut it →

  I remember in high school AP English class, stumbling upon existentialist literature--Sartre and Camus, to be exact--and being utterly stunned.  Existentialism is the idea that the human being, is not defined by the world around him, rather, the world around him is defined by the individual.  "Existence before essence" is a key idea, meaning … Continue reading Discussing everyday existentialism: a few theories →

Guess where I am. Okay, I don't know why I said that because it's pretty dumb to ask people to guess where I am via a blogpost because how would they answer?   Plus, how would they know anyway.  So, I'll just tell you. I am in Vienna. This may not sound like a big … Continue reading With love from… →

It was the week after 9/11. Everyone was in shock, naturally, and doing their best to climb out of their own personal hell however they could. In my mother's case, the shock manifested itself as a long-forgotten buried sensation of physical visceral fear that used to be part of the daily existence for her in … Continue reading The Invincible Mrs. Connelly →

If you're an ordered person, you might want to know that when you have kids order goes out the window.  Take my house: there is diaper smell everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.  Toys, little sock balls, yesterday's pajamas and boxes of wipes trip me up when I try to go to the bathroom at night or make my … Continue reading Something always works out →

I was about four when I had my first real birthday party, with kids and playing.  I always had the best parties as a kid, because my mom would plan these incredible games, and all the guests got favors and my grandmother cooked and baked like she was inviting the Queen and not ten screaming … Continue reading →