Are we sure about resilience?

Someone I used to know said this to her sister-in-law. Let’s call her B. B’s sister-in-law had said she didn’t like tofu and took offense to B’s comment, the accusation and assumption of her inferior taste. As if it’s an expected social norm everywhere on earth that people must and do like tofu. B couldn’t understand why her words were offensive.

Are we sure about resilience?

I will ruffle feathers with that title. My intention is not to pick a fight. Today my writing is personal. I want you to know the reasons why I’m no fan of resilience. I’ll take a step further and write why I want us to stop encouraging each other to have more of it.

When My Words No Longer Matter

Yes, I know this is quite the dramatic statement. I’ve not come to this conclusion lightly. I also know, some young person out there might coin a new acronym for someone like me. Bitter Old Bitch (BOB), Cranky Old Lady (COL), Karen Gone Off Deep End (K-GODE). I claim copyright, by the way, unless any of these are already in use. (Note to self, register the copyright!)

Channeling Nora Ephron

I’ll prove it to you.
Why of all days, when I’m frightened, exhausted, unable to sleep (again) do I bother to write? Because I believe Nora Ephron would. Yes, I know this makes no sense. (I don’t care.) To find something, anything, that will perk me up, make me laugh, and feel better, I usually write. Watch me channel Nora Ephron.

Fire Horse Women

Legend has it women born in the year of the Fire Horse are a bit much. The Fire Horse I’m referring to isn’t just any horse. Don’t mistake Fire Horse with air, water, wood, metal and earth horses. Those elements refer to the sexagenary cycle. This Fire Horse is far more complicated.

This Is A Pen

I was late for my first day of Japanese elementary school. Not by minutes or hours, but by weeks. My paternal grandmother had died suddenly and my parents, baby brother and I flew back to the US for her funeral. I needed to be back by early April 1972 to enter elementary school, but my mother and brother and I stayed in the US. My father flew back in time to start teaching his incoming students for the academic year starting also in April. I would start Japanese elementary school when I got back, whenever that would be.

Can’t Get Enough of You, Baby

Because all I have right now is anger and sarcasm, I’m reduced to winging on and on about shit men don’t want to hear about.
So, how about we come to a cozy agreement, menfolk.
You stop putting the likes of the guy who kicks for a living, AKA Harrison Butker, in front of us, dispensing advice we don’t want or need (never mind he’s out of his league in giving advice to women, poor fellow, somehow, he got it all wrong),

Older Women

I write this listening to AARP’s presentation of Luka Šulić’s concert of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Incredible cellist. I mention this because I am a member of AARP. I’m not retired yet because: 1). I can’t financially, 2). I can’t for my own good. I will “retire” when I am too sick to work.
The first time one of my friends received a letter from AARP was over

Knock Down Drag Out

This is how my husband and I refer to our massive fights. To date, we’ve had four? Five? I’m not sure. To date should also be given the caveat of “…after 35 years of marriage…” because we are that couple. We just don’t fight. We are good together and know it. We argue over who has the better sense of humor (me). We travel well together. We’re good company. We’re still gooey-in love. This is why when we do have one of our “knock down drag outs” (as well call them)–our multi-day discord

The Man Who Held Up The Queue

It may seem like no big deal. We’re all waiting to board the flight and the queue is long. The queue is always long when boarding an airplane. This is nothing new.
Except today it is. The queue is not only long, it’s not moving. Why boarding a flight is so difficult for us humans, I’ll ever understand. Still, patience (which I severely lack) is required. We all stand in our spots, waiting for the queue to move onto the flight.
It doesn’t. Necks (including mine) start to