A lot has changed since last I wrote. The U.S. elected a new leader, a strong man with moral convictions that transcend the myopic concerns of a cluster of Christian conservatives; a thoughtful man who moves the masses with his words; a gracious man whose embrace acknowledges the full diversity of our nation. Katie came […]

We got kicked out of the house briefly last week, after a huffing old fellow from Maintenance came over and opened up our basement door and found a low-hanging cumulus cloud of black smoke swiftly wafting up from the abyss. We grabbed a smattering of possessions and headed out into the cold, where Public Safety […]

Full disclosure: I have developed a morbid fascination with Sarah Palin, and I hate it. I constantly read about her, constantly talk about her. Channel surfing the other day, I found myself inextricably drawn to her televised speech to the folks in Media, Pennsylvania. Like most otherwise sentient liberals, I know I shouldn’t be so […]

One of Anne Lamott’s favorite prayers is “Help me, help me, help me.” It is a plea that has certainly entered into my own repertoire since I moved to north Philadelphia: not just because my mother fears for my life on these mean (or, in my own mind, merely disgruntled) streets, but because almost everywhere […]