Most American youngsters learned their Fairy Tales from Aesop and the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson. Me? I was a ‘T. V. Baby’ and that electronic device was my friend and baby sitter (and later boy sitter) so I got Rocket J. Squirrel, Bullwinkle The Moose, Boris, Natasha et al for breakfast, some times… Read More

I am out of bounds and I know it but the title ‘Broadcast News’ coincides with one of my favorite movies so I am going with that. Wonderful writing and three future movie stars; Future Oscar winners Holly Hunter and William Hurt and Albert Brooks (Oscar nominee for Broadcast News.) Released in 1987 it still… Read More

My answer surprised even me: "I am here because I am a middle child I will now longer be quiet - tonight I will speak up." (I am in fact a middle child three times over; 4th that of 7, 3rd of four and 2nd of three and so it was definitely time to speak up.) And I did. Read More

I had the good fortune (Koun) to travel to Japan on business. I was familiar with Lederer/ Burdick’s The Ugly American and so I was on my best behavior. I was remember being impressed with the sale of beer through vending machines on their city streets. Back then I was a smoker and after almost… Read More

I was thrilled when some relative gave me a crystal radio for my birthday. Read More

I would laugh at 'All In The Family' while the 'elders' would agree with Archie. Read More

I hope when you grow up you'll have kids just like you. Read More

My title 'All Four Of My Grandparents Are Refugees' is true, kind of. Read More

I leaned what my French or Irish ancestors must have known – how to forage. Pasta was in short supply – had to find that. Toilet paper was in short supply – had to find that.  Time to eat more fruits and vegetables which meant more recipes to learn. More time indoors so Watched Downton… Read More

Not ‘ha, ha’ funny but what is funny is I immediately thought of romantic cheating and not competitive or educational testing cheating. Hmmm. Here are some interesting ‘facts’ I found out about ‘Relationship Cheating’: The French cheat  more often. Marriage counselors consider faking orgasms as cheating. Most mammals are polygamous. Social media has led to… Read More