Yesterday morning I woke my son up in time for his college video class, and then went back to bed. I went back to bed because I could, which is not always a good reason to do anything. But during this hour in which I snoozed lightly, on the very surface of sleep, I had a really good idea for a blog.

And, upon waking, the idea for the blog escaped me. I showered, ate, attended my writing group (also via computer), which did not jog my memory. And throughout my day, I kept trying to remember my idea, trying…

Everyone can understand feeling lonely. Everyone in the world knows that feeling of true loneliness, a hollow pit located somewhere between your gut and your heart, that sucks in pain like a black hole.

When I was 16 years old, I felt howlingly lonely. Like, literally — I would go to the nearby park and howl. I don’t want to brag, but I will: I had and still have, a terrific howl. However, I digress. I remember my loneliness being so powerful, it was almost like an entity. …

Nothing can stand in the way of progress — certainly not cities.

First, let me define progress, according to me. Progress is growth and forward momentum. Stone age, iron age, the Industrial Revolution, skyscrapers, vaccines, air travel — all these are signs of progress. But since progress is, like most things in life, a double-edged sword, there are also overpopulation, pollution, deforestation.

In 1990 I lived, and worked, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a little less than year. Jackson is the actual name of the small town situated in Jackson Hole — northwest Wyoming. Like any town, Jackson had a…

These are just a few random thoughts from my last 24 hours — I hope you enjoy them.

Yesterday evening, as I was standing outside, breathing in cold, misty air, waiting for the piddling rain to turn into actual snow, I thought that it would be wonderful if I could just hold on to this feeling, this weather. I wished I could just grab hold of this feeling of being in a cloud of cold misty air, then close my eyes and feel this way for a few hours or days longer.

But, of course, I could not. I could…

Quintessence. It’s the quality of having “it”, that hard-to-describe style that is instantly recognizable. It is the epitome of the standard, the very ideal representative of its class or genre. Here is a list of things I believe are quintessential.

1. Dog: German Shepherd. To me, they personify the best of a working dog while at the same time still retaining its very canine characteristics.

2. Sport: Soccer. I am not actually sure if I picked this because it is the number one sport in the world or because I believe it to be fast and exciting, but either way…

I did it. I signed up to audit an on-line course.

The course is called Backyard Meteorology: the science of weather. I finally get to apply knowledge to my love of weather. Those who know me, and read my blogs on a regular basis, know of my love of inclement weather — rain and snow and gloom of overcast skies. The course covers how to predict the weather wherever you are based on the information around you, like wind and direction, topography, clouds, etc.

The weather course is offered through EdX, in this instance through Harvard University. I actually went…

A couple of days ago was my 57th birthday.

I know what you’re thinking, “I wonder what I’m going to have for dinner tonight?” And also, “I am out of my wine? Should I swing by a liquor store now or wait until I’m closer to home?”

Despite my advanced age, I cannot really help you with these silly questions. …

I love my husband, and more importantly, I really like him. And my dad, well, … he has always been a father figure to me. As a tom-boy growing up, I felt most comfortable being around boys.

But it is women who shaped me, and with whom I have the best friendships, and who are my unwavering cheerleaders and supporters.

Women dig women. We understand each other. And even though we are sometimes prone to judging (we’re really good at it, after all), we absolutely get that women have to do what they have to do with what they have…