My house has an unmistakable Shabby Chic/Cottage vibe – I’m a great believer in making a virtue of necessity. Dents? Nicks? Flaws? A vintage well-used patina? A flea-market feel? Pretend that it’s deliberate and was expensive to achieve. Those gouges in the hardwood floor I refinished? I beat it...
Karmic punishment is swift and terrible – where I’m concerned, there’s none of this waiting-for-doom-in-the-next-life stuff. One day, I’m cracking jokes about aging-hippie silversmiths whose hands are stained with forging gemstones, and the next my own hands are permanently dyed the same shade of scarlet. God only knows what...
In a perfect world – or even just a pleasant one – generosity would rule. Kindness would wrap us all in warmth. Honesty would triumph. Honor and integrity would be our guides. “Nice” wouldn’t be a passive-aggressive insult meaning “weak.” And earnest earthy silversmiths would not pass off food-colored...
For almost six decades, now, I’ve been told what to do – an endless barrage of authoritarian orders. Mind you, I’m not blaming my parents. Survival depends upon following the advice and guidance of those who love and protect you during those early years. Now that I’m a parent...
You don’t have to be a stable genius to pass for a decent human being. All it takes is a little consideration for other people. Even fake civility will take you far. It’s enlightened self-interest – the very very best interest, believe me. First: Don’t spit your gum out...