Sep 8, 2022Cats Are Magical and Other Things I Learned From Taking in a FeralAn age-old story about a scrappy street cat who batted her way into our hearts and changed our lives forever. Today is our dead cat’s birthday. Actually, it’s not her birthday. We have no idea when she was born. We picked this date because she decided to abandon her life…Cats8 min readCats8 min read
Nov 24, 2021Member-onlyMy First Crush Was Egon SpenglerWatching Ghostbusters: Afterlife brought back memories of my first great love — Harold Ramis. It takes a lot for me to go to the movie theater — even outside of a pandemic — but Ghostbusters: Afterlife looked too good to miss. And boy was I right. Not only is the…Ghostbusters3 min readGhostbusters3 min read
Nov 17, 2021Member-onlyMy Cat Has Visited 30 States and 13 National ParksFolks don’t believe me when I say my cat enjoys traveling, but she does. And boy are we lucky. Recently I posted a family photo of my partner, myself, and my cat at the Grand Canyon on a Facebook travel group. …Cats5 min readCats5 min read
Published inHuman Parts·Nov 5, 2021Member-onlyMy Family’s History Is a Prop at Cracker BarrelA random photo sent me down a rabbit hole of learning more about my immigrant great-grandfather, his employer Endicott Johnson, and the era of welfare capitalism — I left my hometown in Central New York as soon as I graduated college. Not because I hated the town, nor because I wanted to detach from my community. I adored my childhood as the granddaughter of the Main Street business owner; our staff and customers were family. …Family6 min readFamily6 min read
Nov 1, 2021Member-onlyWe Dressed as Warren Zevon Songs for HalloweenNobody got our costumes, but that’s ok. We were happy little nerds anyways. In this house, we listen to Warren Zevon — the rock n’ roll prodigy, renowned LA curmudgeon/asshole, and singer that Gen Z doesn’t know enough about to cancel though would cancel if they did. Because of our…Warren Zevon3 min readWarren Zevon3 min read
Oct 28, 2021Member-onlyYou Can Take Your White Claw Hate and Shove ItI love White Claw and here’s why. Recently I attended a small outdoor gathering and brought with me a six-pack of the popular hard seltzer beverage White Claw. As I greeted the host for the first time, she looked down at the cans in my hand and made a face…Drinking5 min readDrinking5 min read
Oct 27, 2021Member-onlyWhat Will Happen When All The Holocaust Survivors Are Gone?With antisemitism on the rise, it’s vital that we never forget what happened. (Trigger warning: Every horrible thing you can think of) Imagine watching your beloved dog repeatedly stabbed by a bayonet. Imagine watching your lifelong friends and neighbors throw children into the freezing river. Imagine watching your childhood home…Jewish5 min readJewish5 min read
Oct 20, 2021Member-onlyHis Name Was TomThough his death was barely noticed, he mattered. And I want you to know about Dr. Thomas Mwanika. During the last six months of my grandmother’s life in our local hospital’s nursing and rehab center, I met a remarkable man — a man with a smile and laugh as warm…Relationships8 min readRelationships8 min read
Oct 14, 2021Member-onlyWhy I Don’t Write About Current Issues or Events AnymoreI used to write about important current issues. Now I don’t and here’s why. I’ve written essays online for 13 years — initially on my blog and then on Medium. When I first began writing online, I wrote about light stuff like movies, music, pop culture, and the life of…Current Events4 min readCurrent Events4 min read
Oct 11, 2021Member-onlyA Love Letter to Pittsburgh: One of the Most Underrated Cities in AmericaLow cost of living? Arts & culture? Beautiful scenery? Weird phrases & smoke-filled bars? Streets as narrow as sidewalks? You’ll find it all in Pennsylvania’s Steel City. I’ve lived in several major American cities and regularly travel throughout the country, and I will adamantly tell you that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is…Pittsburgh9 min readPittsburgh9 min read