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Who’s on First
Speaking of apostrophes (well, we were a while ago), here’s another often-flubbed item: Who’s is a contraction of “Who is”: Who’s going home for Passover? Who’s eating too much? Do you recall how we remember it’s (the contraction of “it is”)? Same goes for who’s: Think of the apostrophe as a leftover from the dot of the i. Whose is possessive: Whose…
I say JoePa.
This is my favorite picture of me (as it was the ’80s, I give myself a pass for the glasses). I did not know it had been taken, until it was given to me as a gift by a dear friend (that’s the back of her blond head) many years later. While I know I…
The Ezra Chronicles, prologue
I’ve decided to blog about being a first-time dog parent. It’s harder than I thought it would be. Much harder. I plan to be painfully and brutally honest, but please keep in mind: It all works out happily in the end. The Hauptman family does not have a great pet history. To wit: My first…
And a Happy Chanukah to you
Please, I beg you, do not wish me a Merry Christmas. No, really. It will lead to unpleasantness: You will receive a lecture, and I will feel bad. And I’m reasonably sure that was not your intent. I’m pretty sure most of you just don’t know how awful it makes me feel. Here’s the thing:…
The Sliver Palate
I love the work I do as a tourism writer. Telling people where to go and what to do is particularly satisfying. Alas, as I perused the menu of a restaurant for which I was doing a write-up (www.nightanddayguides.com/coolcities/sanfrancisco/outdoordining.html), I came to the realization that my quirky food issues might be a slight impediment to…
Innocent Until Proved Guilty
Yes, that is how it should read. I swear. Really. Correct: “Innocent until proved guilty.” Incorrect: “Innocent until proven guilty.” Don’t believe me? Here’s the thing: Prove and proved are verbs; proven is an adjective. She has proved herself worthy. It is a proven formula. If only I can convince Law & Order.
Dressing-Room Optimist
I was in the Bloomingdale’s dressing room. Never mind why I was in the Bloomingdale’s dressing room at 11 am on a work day. Never mind that I came to the mall with the sole and specific purpose of picking up a father’s day gift that was already on hold, with a definite intention of not shopping.…
I’m Happy: Hooray!
I love Virgin America Airlines. I like the perky crew, the satellite TV, the under-seat plugs, the non-Unitedness. But like turned to love today, when I was perusing their music offerings and discovered one of the playlist options is “Best of Schoolhouse Rock.” They had me at Schoolhouse. I learned everything I truly needed to know in the 1970s, on…
Brotherly Love
I met Posey when she first got to the shelter and was still in quarantine. A one-year-old border collie mix, she is black and brown and white and gorgeous and sweet and loving. Walking her was the high point of the highlight of my week: volunteering as a shelter dog-walker — Woofy Wednesdays, as my…
Kitchen Accidental
I cook twice a year: once for Rosh Hashanah and once for my husband’s birthday party every January. While three sit-down dinners in three days is exhausting, millennia-old recipes and limited attendees make the Jewish New Year manageable. Plus, if I really screw up, I can repent the very next week and, truth be told,…
