Definition: despotic abuse of authority. I first envisioned this post to be about iTunes Match. I made the mistake of signing up for iTunes Match in a moment of stinginess fiscal responsibility. I did not want to upgrade my phone yet, and I had no room for my music on the phone. iTunes Match seemed the PERFECT solution! Tyranny. iTunes Match ... Read More »
Last August I started dating a wonderful man. In December he got a puppy. Now I’m head over heels. For both, obviously. But also, a lot for the puppy. Now, I still have two cats (fun fact: single with two cats borders crazy town, dating with two cats is somehow acceptable. Discuss the hypocrisy). Neither of whom particularly care for an intrusive, ... Read More »
I’ve always loved the change of seasons. There are those few days when things begin to shift, letting you know that one season is over and another has begun. A week passes and you realize you need to start sleeping with an extra blanket on the bed. Or a night arrives when you can begin to keep the windows open again. The delineation of the border ... Read More »
While this winter has been largely snow-less in upstate New York (and I am not complaining to that fact), we have had our fair share of very windy days and nights. Our front lawn is home to several old silver maple trees, majestic in the summer, stunning in the fall, but prone to breakage in those frigid winter winds. Last ... Read More »
“You talked about your Grandma’s red sauce yesterday, too.” “I did? Oh…” Apparently I am using my Italian Grandma’s delicious Sunday red sauce as a too-frequent metaphor in my work at The College of Saint Rose. You see, Grandma was a genius in the kitchen. As my mom often said, she could make dirt taste good. Grandma could take anything ... Read More »
Two very big words. Two enormous challenges. Integrity is all about moral and ethical standards that are upheld regardless of the challenges. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the word “integrity” has inside it the word “grit”. Integrity usually requires courage, even in the face of dire consequences. Integrity is that straightening of the spine and the confidence ... Read More »
Part confession, part cooking. Or might cooking always be “part confession”? (Note to self: future post.) Confession first: I am officially switching things up. Consciously shifting. Not the Gwyneth Paltrow type (which she now claims was foisted on her by an editor), but instead just a shift in my world’s vision. Cooking next: Unlike Anna, I LOVE cooking, but find baking onerous, ... Read More »
I just did something that I never ever thought I would do: I signed up for Blue Apron. Unfamiliar with Blue Apron? Well . . . it’s a meal delivery system that plops a box on your doorstep every week with perfectly portioned ingredients to cook dinner for two or four. Sadly, there’s no single I-live-by-myself-and-my-two-cats option. Sigh. When I signed up, ... Read More »
A friend recently posted a short video of Stefani Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga) talking about how we are all “unconsciously communicating lies.” Click here to see the video as it’s much better than having me summarize it for you. I will, however, write that in it Ms. Germanotta talks about how when she started saying no to things that she started being happy ... Read More »
My Wine Business class has ended, but it has sparked an ongoing curiosity about business decisions that are made regarding wine. Whereas before I could spend a good hour trolling the aisles of the local liquor store, looking at bottles and thinking about what I might like to serve with dinner that specific night, I can now spend an entire ... Read More »
Sauced In New York Sometimes the food is in the sauce, sometimes we are