Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Leaving the outdoors outdoors
Dave Barry once commented, “Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel industry.” And my mother is quoted as saying. “Camping in my idea of nothing.” Of course, my sister was quick to point out that our mother, unlike Mr. Barry, had never actually been camping. Clearly there are two kinds of people in the world: those who love to sleep outdoors under a blanket of stars, gently illuminated by the moon’s cool but comforting glow – and those who love hot showers, King size beds, and cable TV. I fall squarely in the latter set and echo my mother’s sentiments. But unlike her, I have actually been camping. Camping always sounds like great fun, before getting down to the actual business of camping, that is. It starts, perhaps, with someone …
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Remembering the fallen (candy) and contemplating rougher times ahead
Yesterday, I attended the annual Memorial Day observances here in town. The most moving part of the Memorial Day ceremonies in Belmont is standing in the Belmont Cemetery as the names of Belmont’s fallen heroes are read aloud. In spite of the noon hour and the hot sun, I get chills as “Taps” is played, and weepy as the Star Spangled Banner is sung. But for the Brownie Troop that I was tagging along with – and for most of the “under-ten set” attending the observances – the solemnity of the occasion was not the focus of their attention. Oh, it’s not that they were insensitive to the sacrifices made by men and women fighting in wars for this country. Rather, their imaginations were caught up in anticipation of another Memorial Day tradition…
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
How to lose a mommy-centered child.
When my kids were much, much younger, they were what my friend Kristen used to wryly refer to as “mommy centered.” Mommy-centered children yearn to have the mom nearby. It didn’t matter if my husband, Kevin, and I chose to adopt a “child centered” philosophy toward raising them. No, by placing me front and center in their lives, they had obviated that particular parenting question. I remember once boarding the 73 bus in Waverley Square, with the tiniest of my brood nestled in a baby carrier and holding a hand each of the two toddlers. We were heading into Harvard Square to meet Kevin for a bite to eat. As I found a seat and settled in for the three-mile ride into Cambridge, a woman remarked to me, “You’re brave. I didn’t leave home for …
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
A slight twist on a familiar children's tale.
Like all of you, my life tends toward the hectic. It seems rather commonplace to acknowledge that we struggle with too much to do and too little time in which to do it all. To make matters worse, not only is the onslaught of requirements relentless, but the standards set for us are ridiculously high. My own particular juggling act includes balancing the demands of five part-time jobs, three kids – who themselves may be just a wee bit overextended – a house, a yard, two old cars, volunteer duties and a husband who is self-employed and also volunteers about 60 hours-a-month to a certain town committee. And I have no doubt that if you rattled off the demands that you bravely face down day after day, I’d agree you have it worse. And yet there …
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
You've heard of Helicopter Parents; here is the other end of the tie that binds.
The 21st century phrase “helicopter parenting” was coined several years back to bring attention to a specific type of parenting style. Helicopter parenting refers, of course, to parents who hover around their children and are forever smoothing things over for their kids socially, academically and on the playing fields. They tend to stand close by with antibacterial soap dispensers at the ready, and the trunk filled with extra water, snacks, sun block and sweatshirts – just in case, because – you never know. For their babies, they purchase kneepads, all-organic baby food and Baby Mozart videos. For their toddlers, it’s all about the best of everything: the best safety equipment, the best pre-schools, the best shoes, organic and …
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
A little longing for days gone by.
Oddly enough, I own a Louisville Slugger. As I write these words, it leans against the head of my bed, where it has leaned for almost two decades. Ostensibly it's there, I guess, so I have something with which to clobber an intruder unconscious. Something to hand him, more like, so he can beat me to a pulp, steal my meager possessions and run off with the kids. Admittedly, it’s a lousy defense plan, based on an unlikely premise since running off with my kids evokes The Ransom of Red Chief, but I digress. Still, there the bat remains, collecting dust against the headboard. Upon further thought, though, it’s likely that I’ve hung onto my Louisville Slugger because it reminds me of Boston University's Nickerson Field and summer nights spent …
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Opposing the death penalty, but there are times ...
For most of my life, I have been vehemently opposed to the death penalty. It simply never made sense to me for all the reasons you’ve heard before. For starters, there is very little data to support that the death penalty serves as a deterrent to heinous crimes. Then there is the question of vengeance (“an eye for an eye”), which I would argue has no place in a system of justice. Clearly, DNA testing and advancements in science have indicated that innocent people have, in fact, been put to death. Discrimination is another reason to oppose the death penalty. Most defendants who face the death penalty were in no position to afford an attorney. I won’t even enter the quagmire surrounding the serious questions of racial bias. In spite of …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
“But you know all this already, don’t you?”
The book "Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self" (edited by Joseph Galliano) explores, as the title suggests, the topic of what you would say if you could send a letter to the 16-year-old you. "Dear Me" is comprised of such letters composed by various writers, actors, and musicians who shared advice and wisdom to their younger selves. Stephen King offers his 16-year-old self five simple words of advice: “stay away from recreational drugs.” He adds: “You’ve got a lot of talent, and you’re going to make lots of people happy with your stories, but you are also a junkie waiting to happen.” Suze Orman attempts to offer hope to her miserable younger self. “You really do not need to be as sad as you currently are. Your future is going to …
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
An exhausted population would speak ... if they weren't so darn tired.
Last Friday night, a group of us met at the Belmont Gallery of Art on the third floor of the Homer Building to view the new portrait exhibit there: See You, See Me. The exhibit is amazing. As I stood among the varied collection of portraits, I felt proud to live in a community that hosts an art gallery, that values art, that encourages and supports local artists. Thank you to all the volunteers, particularly Nan Rogers and the Belmont Cultural Council, for making the BGA a reality in Belmont. Following the exhibit, my friends and I bid adieu to our families and made our way to one friend’s house to celebrate her birthday. Eventually, we all got home, but much later than we thought we would. This is not because “we danced on table tops” or…
42.397157
-71.17686
Belmont Gallery of Art
19 Moore St, Belmont, MA
/articles/oh-the-weary-women-of-belmont
1291528
/locations/5517848
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Discovering that everyday is a 'special occasion.'
Like many of you, I am fully ensconced in my forties. This is not something I bemoan; this is a gift. Too many good people didn’t make is this far for me to complain about the inherent losses of aging. Nevertheless, now that I am forty-something, some things have changed. Let me elaborate. Caramel-flavored rice cakes will never again pass as a sweet treat. I simply don’t have that kind of time. Chocolate is a sweet treat and when I am feeling healthy, I’ll choose dark chocolate. Should I receive as a gift any of the following items: an expensive bar of soap, a luxurious body lotion or an exquisite set of candle sticks, each will be opened, slathered on and/or burned tout de suite. There will be no drawer where these items are stashed away …
Joanna Dunn
2:34 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
Lisa, very timely article considering high school graduation season is upon us. A good reminder about the social host liability law. I do hope that the D.A.R.E. class makes a meaningful impact on kids. I like your last sentence, "Love, forgiveness, more education - and consequences." more ›