Happy Birthday, America
I stand in my kitchen, stirring fresh lemonade with a wooden spoon. I sing cheesy Americana anthems in my acoustically perfect bathroom. I read State by State and remember the smells of home and the dusty charms of the Midwest. Maybe you make flag-themed foods. Or opt into a pick-up game. … Continue reading
“Uh-oh. This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad…”
When I was 5, my mom’s sister came to visit. My mom was so excited. I think they talked non-stop for days. “Take your sister and go play upstairs” my mom ordered. I guess they were talking about grown-up things. On this less than inspiring afternoon, we rummaged in the art supplies. Did you ever … Continue reading
Inherit
Inheritance. A funny thing. Did I expect to inherit my Aunt Karen’s laugh? Or my Bonmama’s index finger? Can I lament the kink in my eyebrow, which mirrors my mom’s, even when it’s a mother to tweeze? People write books about inheritance, but they always mean money or titles or yachts. Which is sort of … Continue reading
Letters of Note
Can I just stop a minute on this crazy whirligig we call life? Because there is something about which you should know. It is called Letters of Note. It is full of wonderful transcriptions and facsimiles of real letters sent by real people, but now published out in the digital ether for our enjoyment and … Continue reading
How Can I Keep from Singing?
I have music in my soul. Despite this, I go long, intense bouts without so much as a note. I’ll not play anything, or even sing in the shower, for months. Then some unexpected day I’ll be filled with uncontrollable urges, spreading song into every inch of my daily routine. It’s a wonderful reconciliation, and … Continue reading
The Ultimate American
Any college student’s semester-abroad blog will acquaint you with the funny words, confusing idioms and quaintness that surrounds much of British culture. Ooh – wellies! Hehe – lorry! Oh the biscuit-cookie confusion, and chip-crisp conundrum. How delightful. I make light, but there are subtle linguistic differences I still haven’t fathomed after eight years. The culture … Continue reading
Roger M Jones Fellowship
Did I ever tell you the story of how I moved to Edinburgh? The short version goes something like this: Once upon a time, Sara was a college student in the grips of terrible ennui. Her chosen major was not shaping up as she expected. Life ahead seemed terrifyingly uncertain. Her freetime was consumed with … Continue reading
Kitchen Catastrophes
Let me tell you a story. Not that long ago, I couldn’t cook. Not a jot. In college I once tried to bake a potato in the microwave. I didn’t even poke holes in it. I was truly culinarily challenged. There is still an infamous night, not as long ago as I’d want to admit, … Continue reading
Homemade Christmas: Cookies
Today was the first morning of winter. I know this because it’s the first time this season I’ve felt the overwhelming need to lean out of bed, grab my clothes and shove them down under the duvet. It’s like warm socks from the drier, but a full-body experience. In a word, awesome. It also gave … Continue reading
Clouds
Change is afoot in the Bean House, but that’s a story for another day. In the meantime, here is a wordcloud piece of this log, curtesdy of Tagxedo. You may have only existied for two months little one, but I like the way you are shaping up.
Que Sera Sara? 