"You missed my Christmas music concert," I called jokingly when the door lock clattered in the other room. I'd taken advantage of my Laddie's absence at a softball game to bang out some carols on the keyboard, sans headphones. Although I still found it hard to muster much holiday spirit in summertime, this year I... Continue Reading →
Yeats at Yuletide: Belonging Among The Birds, Berries, and Bees
Where I come from, December 21 marks the winter solstice. Short, chilly days invite protracted, warm holiday meals. I always felt a twinge of guilt at gorging on holiday treats while, beyond the picture window of my family’s kitchen, birds scraped for seed in the frozen backyard. Here in the upside-Down-Under, that dynamic inverts: December... Continue Reading →
Finding Jabba: Rediscovering Star Wars, Space Opera, and Myself
One of my earliest memories is of Jabba the Hutt. I can’t have been more than two years old, playing behind the couch while my parents watched Return of the Jedi on their 13-inch TV. Deep guffaws echoed in the living room. It sounded a little like Santa Claus, only...wrong. Peering around the furniture, I stared... Continue Reading →