I was speaking to someone about how moribund the newspaper industry is and he asked me if there was any chance they’d come back. I told him about the rapist in our neighborhood – how the information, the accounts of the attack, the tracking of location, the apprehension was all delivered through emails and text messages – all viral. I never once looked at the newspaper and I was more informed about a crime in…
Flying home on Jet Blue, a photograph of John Updike flashed across the TV monitor and I put my earphones on quickly and gasped to learn that Updike died today. The Rabbit series is possibly the Great American Novel and it surely is the G A N that every writer aspires to write. He will be sorely missed. I wrote John Updike, I believe in 1991 but my letter and his letter back are not…
I don’t know about you but I loved the whole swearing in of Obama except for Warren, who I thought was a cut below everyone else who took the stage. Alexander’s poem was perfect for the day. ELIZABETH ALEXANDER: Praise song for the day. Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each other’s eyes — or not — about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about…
I grew up in many parts of Central America, Puerto Rico, Panama, and the United States. I grew up some more when I traveled to Europe, Asia, Cuba, and many an island in the Caribbean. Yesterday, as Geithner gave his acceptance speech, he said his parents educated him by introducing him to the world. I’m lucky my partner is from the beautiful land of Croatia and our child will be raised swimming in the Adriatic…
A client asked me yesterday what keeps me up at night and I said, knowing that I’m going to have a baby in early June who will keep me up at night. I read this morning that a woman gave birth to octuplets (is that how you spell it?) in California – that would be EIGHT babies. Heroic is all I have to say.
I checked into the hotel last night in Boston and the weather card on the front desk said it was 6 degrees outside. I told the clerk that isn’t a temperature it is a sentence. He laughed, but really, it’s ridiculously cold here. This morning, looking at the Commons and the graveyard snow is everywhere – isn’t 6 degrees too cold for snow? I’m anticipating going out this morning to see clients and a large…
I was speaking to a colleague today and describing Wolfie and he said that he grew up with German Shepherds and considers them the best of breed. He asked casually if Wolfie was a female and I said yes, and he said you know their tendencies, and I said no, what? He said a female German Shepherd will defend her female mistress to the death. It struck me because we sense that Wolfie has been…
Oo la – Kimpton Hotel is rolling out the red carpet and lowering the exorbitant rates – why? – have you heard? We’re in a recession and they want my repeat business. Chocolates, champagne on arrival, upgrades to rooms with a view and suites a plenty. Jet Blue – already a fine airlines, now serving up plenty of smiles and special attention. Why? They want me. Everyone is a lot friendlier and amenable in a…
I’ve said for the last five years that patience is not my strong suit and today when I was speaking to a man who is Thai and I told him Thai is one of my favorite foods and asked him if he cooks. He said “Poorly.” I asked if his mother cooks. He said “Yes.” I asked can she teach you? He said, “There’s a secret ingredient I don’t have.” What is it? I asked.…