Thursday, February 6, 2014

Choosing a Beatle
In Honor of Beatlemania 50 years ago - This is an excerpt from my book, Confessions of a Not-So-Good Catholic Girl, on the magical night that changed pop culture forever . . .

February 9, 1964: I don’t know what television event finally brought our parents out of their funk [over Kennedy’s assassination] - maybe the soothing regularity of offbeat sitcoms like the Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle, and Bewitched, or perhaps the reliable comfort of I Love Lucy - but for us baby boomers, the sky opened up that night in front of our 10-inch black-and-whites, and a beam of light shone down right there in front of us in our living rooms like some cosmic entity. Miraculously, for one brief shining moment, old Ed Sullivan was suddenly very cool. He’d brought us a savior. Or rather, four of them...

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

 This Blog May Save Your Life
Have you checked your fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector lately?
I ask because my very life, and the lives of my husband and daughter, were literally saved last night. And we have our fire alarm system to thank for that.
So before you click off this site to answer the phone, or check another email, or return to your work, please do something today that may save your life. Check not just the batteries on your fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector, but make damn sure they work.

We hear about this all the time, especially when...

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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Expanding Your World
I bought myself a guitar for my last birthday. What was I thinking? I’m in my 50s, can’t read music, and whenever I sing at home, the family—including the cat and normally devoted dog—scatter like roaches at the first sign of light.
It wasn’t something I even planned. Just caught sight of the pretty pink Fender Stratocaster in a music store, forgot all the logical reasons why I shouldn’t purchase such a thing, and proudly brought it home.
And why not, I told myself? I’ve been...

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Thursday, April 15, 2010

A Brother's Legacy

Last year I called my brother to wish him a Happy Birthday.
I wish I could do it again tomorrow.
But he died last September. A sudden, unexpected, death.

Boy, I never saw that coming. I’m sure neither did he. That’s a lesson right there. Live each day to...

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

What's on my Nightstand

Due to space limitations, this short book review was even shorter in today's Plain Dealer. Here's the complete version.
This is a really good read, I recommend it.

“Love is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time.” by Rob Sheffield

We all know how music, the proverbial “soundtrack of our lives,” can stir our emotions. But in his 2007 memoir, Rolling Stone contributing editor, Rob Sheffield, offers the...

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

 Books (and Music) Still Make Great Gifts!
I don’t care what “they” say about the popularity of reading newspapers, magazines and books online, I know there are many of you who, like me, wouldn’t give up the feel, and scent, of printed paper to save your soul! (Well okay, maybe to save your soul). True book lovers (I call them “Bookies”) want the real thing—and we’re not talking Kindles (though I do appreciate their appeal). And I’m obviously not alone in this passion. In Sunday’s Plain Dealer, the book section (my favorite, if you haven’t guessed) reports that this year the total book titles PRINTED worldwide will exceed...

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Monday, October 12, 2009

 Hate-Mongers . . .
So guess what, or rather who, this blog is about?

Up until last week, believe it or not, I had never seen Glenn Beck in action. I watch little TV and when I do it’s rarely FOX News. And when I listen to the radio, it’s rarely talk radio (well except for “Car Talk with Click and Clack” on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. on NPR - These guys, and their callers, are hilarious! Even if you’re not into cars, this show is SO much fun to listen to!). But I’m not so out-of-touch that I hadn’t heard about Beck. I just didn’t know what he looked like until the day I was...

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January 2009

January 2009 

Happy New Year!

Well, it’s that time of year again. So let’s talk just a bit about “New Year’s Resolutions” 

I’m going to start right off with making sure I write in this blog every month. I know, I know, we’ll see how that long that lasts. . . .

But it’s always worth the wait, isn’t it? I figure it is, if you’re reading this right now J

And yes, I’m going to...

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October 2008

Downsizing Your Life

I recently saw a segment on the Today Show where some people in Portland, Oregon are building really, really small homes because they’re affordable, easy to maintain, easier to clean . . . just easier in life.
What a concept!
I’ve been saying it for years:
Big houses, big cars, big Stuff equals Big bills, Big mortgages, Big stress, and often Big unhappiness.
And now look at the mess we’re in.
Everyone is pointing fingers. I say the fault of this...

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August 2008

Surprise! It’s Me! Remember me? The writer whose dated photograph graces the home page of this website?

And yes, I know that old adage: “Writers Write.” Just not always in their Blogs. . .

See, I know what you’re thinking. It’s been 5 months since this Blog thing’s been updated and what the hell is wrong with me that I can’t write a bit each week like some of my more prolific blogger friends?

But I do have a perfectly valid excuse:

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March 2008

Well, okay it’s almost April but it’s been a busy month. How busy? I’m, of course, going to tell you.

  Cruising to Music  Aboard the Costa Fortuna

So I’m sitting at my computer one cold January day, checking my email, when I come across this subject line: “Cruise Opportunity for Rock Historian.” Now, first off, I do not consider myself a...

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February 2008

Let’s Not Get All Crazy Here, Folks  . . .
Okay, so it’s an election year. And yes, it’s the most exciting, controversial, actually quite interesting, election year in the history of our country.
Still, that doesn’t mean we have to get all Ga-Ga over a candidate just because he tells you everything you want to hear. Especially when we’re not quite sure just HOW he’s going to do all these wonderful things.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a bit impressed with Obama myself. How can you not be? And perhaps—because I don’t get to...

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January 2008

Likes, Dislikes, and Down-right Disgust . . .
I miss Ross Perot.
That’s right. That funny looking guy with the squeaky voice, with all those graphs and charts and maps. Yeah, that guy, remember him?
I have no idea if he’d had made a great president or not, and after 16 years (can it really be that long ago?) it hardly matters. But now that we’re in the political trenches once again, I miss how refreshing he was.
And smart. And honest.
Gee, no wonder he didn’t win.
We Americans aren’t used to such honesty in our politicians. But I think we’re finally beginning to...

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November, 2007

“Life Gets in the Way”…

I am not dead.

Really.

See? I’m here, just lying around, doin’ nothing.

(And sorry, folks, this is about as provocative as I get, least on the Internet J

I’ve been so comfortable in fact, that I’ve just haven’t felt like getting up and writing in this blog…

Blog? What Blog?
Oh, yeah, right. That’s it…
Of course, I could simply admit that I’ve ignored this blog way too long because I’ve been so busy. And that would be true. But hey, you’re busy, too, and...

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September 2007

September 2007

Steelers Fans Have More Fun.

There I said it. Sorry but it’s the plain, ugly truth. It’s just no fun being a Browns fan (except, of course, for those tail-gate parties). I’m not going to even try to figure out why our team continually disappoints us (In case you don’t know, our beloved Browns lost last Sunday to Pittsburgh AGAIN. Oh how we suffer!).

Granted they did put on a valiant effort, and should be applauded for that, but turns out it was just a...

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July 24, 2007

Favorite Vacation Spots 

I think this is what heaven might look like
I’m jumping right ahead to favorites this time because I have Chautauqua on my mind.
Hmmm, sounds like a song . . . oh, wait, no, I think that’s Georgia . . . well ANYWAY . .
Lake Chautauqua is in New York and is truly a heavenly place. And let me tell you why.

The town surrounding this beautiful lake is...

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June 25, 26, 27, 28.. 2007

June 25, 26, 27, 28 . . . (I told you life gets in the way!)

 

Well, it appears my webmaster should change the home page and put “Updated Monthly” since I’m always late on this thing – but hey, let’s look at it this way – when this BLOG does appear there is lots to read in one sitting J 

 

Okay, let’s get it over with. . .

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June 1 2007

Wow, time sure flies, doesn’t it?
I do try to keep this Blog thing going on the promised weekly basis, but alas, Life Gets in the Way, as I always say.
And before you know it, you’re late.
As I am with this entry.
But I have a good excuse, or rather excuses. First one is that...

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April 30 2007

You’re Back! 

Welcome back Blog Readers! Glad you returned after my little rant last week. And I didn’t get one nasty email about that freedom of speech remark – in fact, everyone who commented concurred with my thoughts. It’s reassuring to me that many people are as fed up as I am with all the negative stuff in our society.

And these disturbing issues do need to be addressed and talked about - in hopes that these all-too-often occurrences can - at least sometimes or even once - be prevented. The topper last week was seeing the obit of that pretty teenage high school girl who didn’t want to...

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April 20 2007

 We Don’t Have to Send our Children off to War -  They’re Fighting One Right Here in Their Own Country 

My teenage daughter didn’t go to school today.

 

My husband and I wouldn’t let her. 

 

Rumor had it that some kids from her school were really, really angry and wanted to let the whole world know it. They had “suggested” to others that maybe people might finally listen to them and do something about all the bullying and name calling they have to put up with everyday in their school if they...

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April 8 2007

Say It Isn’t Snow!…

I should say Happy Easter (yes, I am writing this on a holiday because first, I finally have time, and second, it’s 7 a.m., I’m wide awake, and the family isn’t), but as I look out my office window this bright morning, I see that it is not bright due to a marvelous glare of eye-blinding spring sunlight, but from a continuous flurry of white flakes swirling around the landscape like it’s December instead of April.
So in keeping with the mood this wintry scene brings – I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Even I, who generally appreciates a beautiful blanket of snow, am less than thrilled. The groundhog - back on February 2 - did NOT see his shadow. And so, everyone across the Midwest was all giddy that, based on some such ancient belief, that we were guaranteed an EARLY SPRING.
And actually, if that varmint could talk he’d say, “Hey, you silly humans, I wasn’t lyin’ – you DID have an...

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March 26, 2007

March 26, 2007 

The Cleveland Icon Perseverance Awards  2007 

This event, the second annual, once again took place at the Agora and was hosted by the venerable “Host of the North Coast” - Peanuts (who still won’t reveal his real name).

The Cleveland Entertainment Coalition puts on a truly worthwhile event, but unfortunately, it’s still a well-kept secret. Their mission is to honor longtime veterans of the local music scene, including musicians, media, and behind-the-scenes movers and shakers. But more people are needed to shake things up and get their mission moving. President Londi Viccarone told me he needs more volunteers, particularly concerning this event. So if anyone is interested in being involved in this noteworthy organization, go to their website at www.clevelandec.org

Although the crowd Sunday night was lean at times, the music and the distribution of awards was entertaining, and the many reunions among friends created a party-like atmosphere.

It also gave you hope for...

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March 18 2007

March 18 

Yes, I will include a couple of my favorites this time - but first, a few words on happenings this week: 

In regards to the piece I wrote about teachers. I received some good feedback on it, and everyone agrees—including teachers—that for the sake of everyone involved changes need to be made. One person who responded mentioned a very important issue concerning the school system that I didn’t even touch on -

STANDARDIZED TESTING. 

In my opinion (and I’m always allowed my opinion here, one reason I love to blog J), these state assessment exams are too standard, too regimented, and not at all good for those who are...

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