it's official...it's summer!

cocktail party napkins....

it's memorial day weekend---the kick-off to guacamole & chips, everything grilled and the ubiquitous cocktail party.
we spent the weekend at my husband's 25th college reunion so as you can imagine we've hit the season running.
here's to a great summer.

book club napkins...

every woman i know has a book club story.
either they're currently in a book club and they love it.
or they were once part of a book club and invariably there's was a woman who dominated the conversation and drove everyone nuts.
i'm a book club drop-out...more times than i care to count.
i never seemed to be able to finish the book in time.
so now i've got my own book club.
here's how it works:
i read a book. call a friend after and say, 'hey, i just finished a great/crappy book'.
that's my book club.
lame, i know.
but it works.

why why is so important.

this morning, my daughter and i decided there was much wisdom to be gotten from spin class.
just the other day, as we were both sweating more than any human can sweat, our spin teacher encouraged us to ask ourselves
why we were in this class. and she promised that when we figured that out we'd have the strength to turn up our resistance making the class even harder.
after class, once my daughter and i could breathe again, we talked about this.
lately she's been feeling the stress of most nyc high school kids.
so i asked her: why.
why was she working so hard in school?
why was it so important to do well?
it was amazing where this conversation went.
and it made me realize how important it is every now and then to ask ourselves why.
sort of makes everything else a little easier.

tgif!

i really try to be introspective and thoughtful.
i really try to focus on all the right things.
i really try to exist in the present tense.
i'm trying.
that's about all i can say.

wake-up...it's spring!

you can find just about anything on the internet...
except spring and everything it is.
hit escape.
turn the blackberry off.
i'll be in the park.

ok, i admit, i am guilty...

yeah, it's spring.
no more arctic winds or layering.
just don't high five anyone.
or throw your hands up in the air.

happy anniversary cards....

after 22 years of marriage, i've learned that you need a good sense of humor and the ability to forgive.
i'm still working on the latter.
hopefully i'll have that nailed down soon.

tumblr

in addition to blogging, i'm on tumblr now. it's pretty exciting although i don't know why.
the whole concept reminds me of taking polaroids which i always loved.


here's the link.

looking forward to hearing what you think.

yiddish is really a universal language.
as i was paying for my manicure the other day, the chinese manicurist said, 'thanks bubeleh.'
i loved that.
few words look, feel and sound as endearing.
so, have a great weekend, bubeleh.

what to say when you don't know what to say...

this is the yiddish word mike meyers made so famous in those hilarious snl skethces he did called, 'coffee talk.'
i love this word.
it just makes me laugh.
even though it shouldn't.

wishing someone good health...

before people wished each other namaste
or take care
or be well
there was this yiddish greeting.
i sort of like zie ga zink better.
it just rolls off your tongue---ha.
i have no idea how to properly pronounce this greeting.
but does it matter?

doesn't everybody speak yiddish?

i grew up in a yiddish speaking home.
at least it was yiddish speaking when my parents didn't want me to know what they were talking about.
there are some yiddish words that are just really great.
in just a couple of syllables, you can be so emotive.
oy vey is one of them.
oy vey is a tragedy.
it's oh shit to the nth degree.
there are some other great yiddish words.
but until i learn the correct spelling...

girlfriends, the end.

there are "girlfriends" and then there are girlfriends.
the ones without quotes are the best.

Happy Birthday Sam and Zoe!!!

i am taking a break from blogging today to celebrate my daughters' 16th birthday.
god, it's gone by fast.
too fast.
if i could just slow things down a bit...keep them at home for just a beat longer...
well, that's not happening and nor should it.
happy birthday, girls.
lya....

girlfriends, cont'd...

i think this card sort of speaks for itself.
not sure what else i can say on this.

girlfriends, cont'd...

geez, these cards are really hard to write.
now, i know why most of the cards in the 'between friends' section are so schmaltzy.
it's really easy to fall into bad lines about diets, husbands and hormone therapy.
truth is most women don't spend an abundance of time talking about this stuff.

more on girlfriends...

i once read somewhere that a good girlfriend can reset your thermostat.
i always loved that thought.
it's just so right on.
good friends set you right.
they clear the air.
they put it all in perspective.
then you move on.