Meeting my buddies in Times Square on New Years Eve--what could go wrong? Read More

Remembering Gerhard,  The Dude Abides We met Gerhard through our friend Renee and learned that he had been the English professor who years earlier was her graduate school thesis advisor. The two had remained very close and Renee invited Gerhard to join our group of friends who took turns hosting each other at dinner,  and… Read More

In my mind I played so well. Read More

Baby Grand My father was a self-taught classical pianist and throughout my childhood the sounds of his music rang through our house.  And in my mind’s eye I can still see him sitting at the baby grand playing a piece by Chopin or Beethoven.  (See Moonlight Sonata) That baby grand followed my folks from the house… Read More

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it" -- Goethe Read More

(Excerpted from my book, The Long Pivot Home: Based on a true story of love and loss in Oklahoma.) For five years, from 1995-2000, I had been trying to complete a giant pivot in my life, charting a new course away from the loss of my beloved wife Selena, then away from my experience in… Read More

Snow had fallen overnight, and when we arrived at Skyline, the road was closed. The trip was ruined. Read More

I hadn’t realized how closely Patti and John had listened when I’d described my experience at the Chilmark Writer’s Workshop on Martha’s Vineyard, a wonderful, supportive writing workshop given by Nancy Slonim Aronie, an island legend (and beyond; she teaches at Kripalu, is featured on “All Things Considered”, and just published her third book). I… Read More

Princess Summerfall Winterspring (Not exactly a “four seasons” story,  but I plead poetic license!) I’m sure generations younger than mine find it hard to believe many of us had no TV in our early years.  In fact my family was the last on our Bronx block to get one.  And so every weeknight at 5:30… Read More

Growing up in Michigan, where we have each season, I appreciated each one for its unique character, but autumn was always my favorite, with the glorious colors of the changing leaves, the crispness of the air, the bonfires we had after we helped my dad rake the leaves (no longer permitted, but I did love… Read More