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People set their alarms for 3 am on this day after Thanksgiving. I didn’t even turn mine on. People line up outside of retailers, shivering and soaking, to find the best deal on the newest gadgets. Maybe they just want to stock up on socks. It’s the biggest shopping day of the year. Supposedly, people …
For a week before the big day, I deep-cleaned some room or focused on brightening the appearance of another room. My son got enlisted to scrub floors (in addition to toilets) and dust off the ceiling fans. I’m not saying I own too many pairs of shoes (an impossibility in my world), but I had …
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I’ve mentioned this several times, but it bears repeating. I’m even looking forward to it this year when I’m going to be the hostess. I’m not the hostess with the mostest, I can tell you. I’m the hostess who serves crunchy baked potatoes. Or doesn’t have enough of the main …
Two weeks before Halloween, I walk into the local WalMart to purchase some mums. Through the sliding doors and into a time warp. Five artificial trees decked in lights sparkled to my left. Ahead, rows of wrapping paper, greeting cards and ornaments announced the Christmas season. Uh, what was I looking for again? Suddenly, I’m overtaken by …
Sitting in a metal folding chair, I’m surrounded by parents. We’re in the gymnasium of our neighborhood elementary school. My son is receiving a reward. The principal approaches the lectern and asks everyone to stand for the flag salute. All those first through fifth graders who were sitting “criss-cross applesauce” on the floor stand. In …
In the world of writing, I’m a newbie. As far as expertise in the genre which I’m writing, I have none. For these reasons, I sought instruction from someone considered an authority in the genre of science fiction and fantasy: Orson Scott Card. I purchased the book How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy …
We’re going to a company picnic – my husband’s company picnic – and I pull shorts and tank tops out of the dresser. After all, it’s late July and the temperature is predicted to be near 90. These shorts pinch my waist. All those sleeveless shirts will draw attention to my less-than-firm triceps. Shorts that …
Annoying in its persistence and volume, the somewhat musical tone shrieks. The lull of the ocean is drowned beneath the cacophony. Time: 1:30 a.m. Aren’t we on vacation? Who signs up for such intolerably early wakeups? We did. In hopes of watching the sun rise from the tallest point on Maui, we paid someone a …