Terrorism in the Skies- FlyDubai

 

It continues to amaze me that people look for excuses to explain away the attempted destruction of the FlyDubai flight from UAE to Tel Aviv. The reprehensible rhetoric alleging a false flag operation to assist Netanyahu with victory in the approaching elections dumbfounds me. Why anyone can applaud a terrorist attack is unfathomable. 

Notwithstanding the above, I am horrified by the antisemitism exhibited by students, Democrat leaders, educators, podcasters and other activists. There is no excuse for this hate. Those that believe the Palestinian cause is righteous have not studied the history of Judea and Samaria. Those who allege genocide in Gaza have no concept of actual genocide.

The survivors of World War II are mostly gone from this world. The witnesses to one of the greatest atrocities committed against humanity are no longer able to testify to the horrors they discovered.  However, there is photographic, cinematic, literary and legal documents to support the horror inflicted on the Jewish people  during the Nazi regime.

Who among us has the right, the moral authority, the purity of spirit, the audacity or historical knowledge to judge a people that have wrongly been oppressed for millennia! Who gave you the authority to judge? Who gave you the power to decide what is just? Who gave you the historical knowledge to appreciate the nuances of history? Those who are filled with hate are no brighter than the rats that followed the Pied Piper! You are no better than the Germans who sent Jews to concentration camps and death. You are no better than the Soviets that suppressed citizens, executed them, starved them, exorcised them from their homes or otherwise marginalized them. You are no better than the Red Guards of the Cultural Revolution that denounced their parents, siblings, teachers, neighbors. You are no better than the French apologists that turned in their neighbors to the Nazis. 

You are no better than the politicians you denigrate. You are worse than any corrupt politician that at least pretends to understand the Constitution.

And above all, if you do not love and support the United States of America and her unwavering support for our greatest ally in the Middle East, you should self deport, leave, move, depart our shores, go somewhere that supports your inane views.

If you think for one nanosecond that your ideology will prevail, then you truly do not understand the true American spirit. 

We Patriots will never abrogate our rights, our belief in freedom, our support for the Constitution, our belief in the Rule of Law, our support for understanding that we are the land of the free and the home of the brave, that we are the beacon of freedom throughout the world, and that we citizens will defend our rights against any insurrection that threatens our freedoms. 

The only appropriate response to the Hamas attack against Israeli civilians is just what the IDF has done. Eliminate the enemy before they accomplish their goals of eliminating Israel and the Jews throughout the world.

When they say they want to kill Jews and Americans, I believe them. This war of terror has been ongoing since 1948. If you were given the choice to kill or be killed, what would you do? I know what I would do. 

God Bless the USA. 

25 Years Later ~ I Will Never Forget 9/11

We promised to never forget. I will never forget. I will never forget when a coworker slammed down the phone after a friend with the Secret Service at the White House told her a plane had struck the WTC. I will never forget rushing to locate the only TV at our office that only sowed one channel and sitting dumbstruck with my colleagues while we watched the 2nd plane hit followed by the collapse of the towers. 

I will never forget the first responders who rushed into the towers as people were fleeing, running up the stairs with full gear to save all souls they could. 

I will never forget the sights of individuals choosing to jump to their deaths rather than burn. 

I will never forget concern for colleagues from Marsh & Aon working in the towers and friends working at the Pentagon.

I will never forget the bravery of the crew and passengers on Flight 93.

I will never forget walking with my friend Holly Mellstrom through her neighborhood in Westchester County, MY 4 weeks later and she pointed out the houses where families lost loved ones.

I will never forget the faces of the people trying to escape the toxic dust.

I will never forget what my colleagues at the Chubb Water Street office told me they’d seen and experienced.

I will never forget that first responders and people working in the City are still dying of cancers related to the toxins in the air.

I will never forget the huge cavity in the Pentagon caused by the highjacked  plane readily visible to all commuters from Virginia.

But, too many Americans choose to forget. 

I am on a vacation in Catalonia with a group of Americans who refused to consider even a moment of silence this morning. They want to think only about happy things.

This breaks my heart. This is why we remain divided- I believe. 

They do not want to remember. 

I will not forget.

Trying to Discover Peace Within the Political & Cultural Mayhem

 

It has certainly been challenging to navigate finding peace and serenity when we live in such a divisive political and cultural environment.

Politically, I’ve tended to be a conservative leaning Independent who supports the Constitution, believes strongly in the Bill of Rights, and that we Americans have a responsibility to vote, follow the rule of law, try to remain open minded, support our institutions, act with kindness and compassion to our fellow humans, and avoid vitriolic rhetoric. I support free speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right to assembly, and the right of every  citizen to live without discrimination based upon color, sex, religion, country of origin, disability, or color.

I was taught to respect the office of the President even when I vociferously disagree with that individual’s policies or viscerally dislike the person. 

However, I struggle with certain pundits, media personalities, politicians, gangs, cohorts, universities, unions, states or any organization with a perceived slight that are attempting to undermine our social contracts. 

Anyone who discriminates against those with whom they disagree are violating the Constitution. Antisemitism violates the Constitution. Vilifying people from Israel violates the Constitution. Campaigning to overthrow the very heart of the American government should be considered treason rather than just violent rhetoric. Targeting legal residents that have committed no crimes is against all that we stand for. Making excuses for murder is unconscionable. 

We citizens have the tools to change what we do not like. It is called THE VOTE! There is far too much apathy within the American people. WE THE PEOPLE have forgotten that all politics is local. Failing to cast a vote in primary elections to prevent extremism on both sides leaves us with unpalatable candidates that do not reflect who most of us are: slightly right or slightly left of center. Most of us want common sense leaders that understand that political party should be secondary, at the very least, to the citizens they represent. That means compromise. That means that if one is President, he/she/them have a duty to represent all America s- not just party faithful. That means that each citizen council member, each mayor, each governor, each senator, each congressional representative has a responsibility to protect the entire electorate- not just sycophants.

That is my current frustration. Few appear to understand that responsibility.

Let us hope the pendulum swings. 

In Memoriam - John Grant Griffiths - Great Great Grandson of President Grant

On July 7, 2026, American Civil War historians lost one of its great characters, John Grant Griffiths, the great- great grandson of President Ulysses S. Grant.

I first met John in October 2005 at an artillery demonstration at Bolivar Heights Battlefield, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. John, my husband, and several other Civil War historians, are part of the living history group known as 2nd Maryland, CSA, The Baltimore Light Artillery. 

John was a fixture at Civil War reenactments beginning with the 100th Commemoration in1961. Notwithstanding the fact that his ancestor led the federal army during the Civil War, John enjoyed pursuing his love of history on both sides of the conflict- wearing both blue and gray.

He loved participating in television shows and movies, and as he aged often died his gray hair and beard so he could still, mostly, look the part. On occasion, he arrived at an event looking dapper in his linen civilian suits.

John was also the grandson of Major General Ulysses S. Grant III and Secretary of War Elihu Root. But he was most proud of his Great Great Grandfather.

My husband and I portrayed itinerant photographers during the 145th through 150th cycle of Civil War reenactments. We set up a 18 x 24 foot canvas studio making collodion images on glass and tin - mostly reenactors. John had a tintype made at every event. He would sit in our tent, happy to talk about history to all visitors,enjoying every second of the attention.

After one of the 150th Gettysburg reenactments, while we were waiting for rain to stop so we could pack up, I asked my husband Todd and our friend Bob Szabo what interested John other than the American Civil War. They looked at each other, started to laugh, and said at the same time- other wars! 

Everyone who knew John has a story to tell that will fill them with warm remembrances. 

The world has lost a true original. John was stubborn, told great stories, loved history, enjoyed educating the public, a good friend, and to the last-proud of his heritage. 

Jessica Gorman & My Disgust for Congress

 https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/mother-sheridan gorman-loyola-student-shot-killed-testifies-capitol-hill/

The Living Years by Mike & the Mechanics is Relevant in Contentious 2026

This morning I was  reading an article in The Washington Post, a once great newspaper that has devolved into a shadow of its former self. There was an article about the singer, Lee Greenwood, who (depending on your political affiliation or taste in music) has become a divisive figure during the Trump presidencies for performing his anthem, God Bless The USA. Commenters on the article were mean spirited, degrading, and hiding behind anonymity. 

The WaPo readers, at least the trolls who comment on articles, uniformly hate those who tilt towards moderate, conservative or libertarian views. I’ve no doubt many of these posters have cut off family members, former friends and colleagues that disagree with them. They celebrate the celebrities who refuse to celebrate our 250th birthday. 

I’m sure there have been situations over the years of our Republic when entertainers declined to perform at certain events because of their ideology. However, in my lifetime, I’ve never experienced such vitriolic rhetoric by performers who have refused to appear for the American public because they hate a particular president. Additionally, their supporters denigrate entertainers that agree to perform at those boycotted events.

July 4, 2026 is the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of the documents that serves as a bedrock of our national identity. It is antithetical to my beliefs as an American citizen that any entertainers would refuse to participate in the celebration of the 250th commemoration of our great nation because of politics. Frankly, it is childish behavior. One must wonder how future historians will view this period. Will our future generations recall who helped the Nation celebrate? Or will school children read about the resisters?  

Will some of the malcontents eventually regret their recalcitrance? How does this topic have any relevance to The Living Years, a ballad released in 1988 by Mike & the Mechanics? To me, the song is about regret involving schisms that ultimately do not matter. Perhaps my interpretation is incorrect; however, this is how I read it.

I listened closely to the lyrics as this song popped up on my 80’s playlist:

    “Every generation blames the one before;  and all of their frustrations come knocking on your door.

    I know that I’m a prisoner of all my father held so dear; I know  that I’m a hostage to all his hopes and fears. I just wish I could have told him in the living years.

    Oh, crumpled bits of paper filled with imperfect thought; stilted conversations, I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got.

    You say you just don’t see it; he says it’s perfect sense. You just can’t get agreement in the present tense. 

    We all talk a different language, talking in defense. 

    So we open up a quarrel between the present and the past; we only sacrifice the future. It’s the bitterness that lasts.

    So don’t yield to the fortunes you sometimes see as fate; it may have a new perspective, on a different date. And if you don’t give up And don’t give in, you just might be OK. 

    I wasn’t there that morning when my father passed away. I didn’t get to tell him all the things I had to say.

    Think I caught his spirit later that same year. I’m sure I heard his echo in my  baby’s newborn tears. 

    I just wish I could have told him in the living years.” 

Let us put aside our differences and reconcile during the living years. 

Namaste 🙏🏻

Celebrating the American Experience at 250🇺🇸

 

In  1976 I celebrated the American Bicentennial. All of America engaged in the celebration. The fact that certain segments of our society refuse to acknowledge the  trajectory of our political experiment dumbfounds me.

I can only deduce that those who protest our way of life have no experience truly understanding the alternative options.

Anyone who suggests that socialism or communism offers reasonable alternatives has not studied history. It doesn’t work. It has never worked. Those refusing to understand the beauty of Capitalism have, no doubt, lived in the ivory towers of academia or enclaves that have not embraced the opportunities offered by Capitalism. 

The American experience is unique. We are not a people that will succumb to oppression or the concept of taking from those who toil to succeed and giving to those who contribute nothing to society. 

At Jamestown, Captain John Smith subscribed to the proposition that those who do not work, should not eat. That is how my parents raised me. Be a good citizen. Honor the flag. Work and pay your own way. Do not expect the taxpayers to fund your life.

I believe in this great American experiment and subscribe to the concept that every citizen has a responsibility to contribute to our collective wellbeing by exercising the right to vote, supporting our communities, following our laws, and fomenting change through participation in government at the grassroots level. 

The Serenity Sitting Beside Our Koi Pond

I’ve always dreamed of owning waterfront property. The sound of waves, the mesmerizing peace of a waterfall, the aroma of salt laced air, or the calmness that envelops me when I silently watch the movements of aquatic creatures fills me with the ability to just be, in the moment. 

Alas, beachfront, lakefront, riverfront or babbling mountain brook property has not yet materialized- primarily because of life choices we have made based. 

Of few years ago, we seriously considered selling our moonscape property on a shale ridge at the edge of the Shenandoah Valley. Then during Covid we power washed our deck, looked around, and decided it made sense to enter the next stage of our lives where we are and create our own spot of paradise. That vision included building a koi pond with a waterfall.

We started looking for contractors to implement our vision (well- mine anyway). Todd found a fabulous resource and forwarded it to me: https://aquaticcreationsnva.com/ 

I immediately reached out to Noah Manuel, Owner & Certified Master Contractor  of Aquatic Creations of  Northern Virginia. We met. He surveyed the property, discussed my vision and budget, created a design that beautified our landscape using Virginia boulders and incorporating a few aquatic plants, and ensured the pond was finished by my 65th birthday. 

Our final step: the addition of 5 koi from https://nextdaykoi.com/. Yes, there is actual a resource to purchase koi by overnight shipping! 

Almost immediately, one of the koi swam into the skimmer and met an untimely end. Noah cautioned that koi are not known for their cognitive abilities. So, I ventured to the now closed Lily Pons Water  Gardens outside Frederick, Maryland and collected an additional 3 koi, anticipating a few more losses. So far, we’ve been fortunate. The Blue Heron and Owl decoys appear to be keeping predators away. 

This is a work in progress; but I have to confess installing this pond is the best thing I’ve done for my mental and emotional health in decades. Filled with gratitude for my 10 foot beachfront in the back yard. 

Henry Tudor Must Die by Jillian Laine - A Book Review

Delightful Alternative History

Although there were times when the narrative lagged a bit, overall, Henry Tudor Must Die is an immensely entertaining book that reimagines a world in which Katherine of Aragon fakes her death and uses magic to save Anne Boleyn from execution to join a secret society of women who collaborate to save potential victims of over zealous clergy and sanctimonious rulers.

This book was just fun, clever, creative, imaginative and filled with woman power at a time where few women had any agency or rights- completely suborned to the whimsy of their male oppressors- like a shadow government.

Alternative histories can be delightfully funny. Kudos to Jillian Laine. 

Thank you to BookBrowse.com, Net Galley and Berkley Books for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The hardcover will be available in the USA on July 21, 2026. 

Summer of Love by Kerri Maher- A Book Review

 The Summer of Love encompasses many themes from the era of sex, love & rock ‘n roll to the present day with the overall focus on the trajectory of one family, secrets, addiction to alcohol or drugs or people and their journey to find peace & serenity. 

My first husband was an alcoholic who died too young because of his addiction. I spent many years in Alanon learning self care and following the steps associated with my program. Just yesterday, I met a woman struggling with her husband’s addiction. Alcoholism is an insidious disease that destroys lives, families, futures and relationships. 

Kerri Maher weaves a story that shows the devastation as well as the resilience of those who find a way to sobriety. For me, the book is uplifting, encouraging and a brave examination of the author’s own struggle.

I am grateful to Netgalley and BookBrowse for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Letting Go of My Childhood Home ~ Bittersweet

 On Friday, March 13, 2026, I wandered through my childhood home for the last time. The picture to the left is how it looked when my family moved in during the summer of 1962. My little sister was on the way, and we’d outgrown the two bedroom tiny house three doors down. My maternal grandparents lived at the other end of the block. 

At the time, we had no idea that we lived on the wrong side of Logansport, Indiana in the Irish ghetto. Saint Bridget Catholic Church, school, rectory and convent were across the street. 

The superintendent of the Logansport Community School system strongly recommended that my parents move to the east side of town, which was more acceptable for teachers. 

My siblings and I were unaware that we lived in an undesirable neighborhood. We didn’t want to leave our friends, our church, our neighborhood, our comfort zone. We felt safe, played until the fireflies came out, walked to school, and aspired to be good people.

My parents updated the house over the years, replaced the asphalt siding, the front porch, added a family room, a deck that my husband designed, and a Florida room. The interior had beautiful oak woodwork, high ceilings, and simple furniture. Our kitchen table was rescued from the old Saint Bridget School before it was torn  down. I have beautiful memories of family gatherings and friends coming to our house because it was welcoming. 

My brother, who inherited the house in compensation for caring for our Dad in his final years is selling. Walking through the house in its disarray, looking for heirlooms that should be salvaged, experiencing the end of a place that afforded safety, solace, peace, arguments, happiness, grief, and memories was bittersweet.

I love my current life and home. I know that this is just part of the passage of time. But, it is nonetheless disconcerting, difficult, sad, emotional, painful, and just plain unimaginable to accept this loss.

Before we departed, Todd and I went to pay our respects to Mom and Dad, my maternal grandparents and the baby brother I never knew at Mount Hope Cemetery. I’m not sure when we will see them again. 

But I know  I will carry the memories with me for the rest of my life; and I am grateful for what my parents represented. 

Unsung Heroines - Women’s History Month

 

During women’s history month we tend to illustrate the women who have made a difference in the world through science, technology, politics, human rights, or some other geopolitica

However, I prefer to highlight the importance of bravery of everyday women who put their lives, the lives of their families, the very essence of their being at risk for choosing to just say no to oppression.

The women of the Iranian national team, at a disadvantage because they were required to cover their bodies from head to toe,  made the decision to silently protest by refusing to sing the National Anthem imposed on them by the theocratic regime. The regime deemed them traitors. Some brave women requested asylum in Australia. Kudoes to those brave souls. 

Consider the women who fought for the Resistance during WWII; the women who went to work in factories personifying Rosie the Riveter during WWII; the women who volunteered as nurses during the wars and conflicts; the women who fought for women’s rights during the 60s, 70s and 80s and endured harassment, abuse, denigration and lesser salaries; the women who paved the way for current generations that glide seamlessly into corporate America; the women who broke barriers and gained admission to universities that formerly refused to admit women; the silent heroes that pierced the barriers that finally allowed women to serve in our military in combat; the everyday women that step by step- day by day- conversation by conversation- example by example- degradation by degradation; rising above offense by offense- humiliation by humiliation- arose like the Phoenix to succeed in a world that wanted us to fail.

I was one of those women. The patriarchy hounded me through years of corporate oppression. I did not fit into a box that would have benefited me. If a senior leader asked my opinion— I gave it- not a great idea in corporate America. 

But I. Am proud that I could pave the way for those who followed me. And I hope, that my generation of women gave courage to those who followed us - including the beautiful, brave Iranian women who decided to take a risk for their own autonomy. I know,  no matter the risk, their families gave them the choice to do what was necessary for their survival. 

Always celebrate girl power! 

Mourning A Friend From High School- Diane Smith- Forever Full of Life

 Yesterday I received news that nobody expects or wants to hear. A friend from high school, that I’ve known since 1973, passed away suddenly on Sunday, March 8th. We weren't  ‘best friends’; however, we stayed in contact through the years, worked in the same industry, and were always able to pick up a conversation as if we’d seen each other a few days ago.

I remember that she and the love of her life, Pat Smith, became enamored with each other when we were rehearsing for the play, Godspell, which Pat was directing. It was so evident that sparks were flying that I can’t help but smile thinking about while fighting tears.

Diane and Pat were together 46 beautiful years, shared a son, Zack, who was her ‘not-so-mini-me’. She reveled in her grandchildren. I loved the family pictures she shared.

We traveled to France with our high school French teacher, Mrs. Shilling. I’ll never forget her on a balcony of our hotel in Paris with the wind blowing and her pure delight. She gave me her champagne at a winery in Vouvray because I was the only one who loved the bubbles. (That is another story). We acted in plays, sang in choir and swing choir, went to speech meets, and embraced all the opportunities that young students in the late 1970 era were able to do when from Logansport, Indiana. 

I admired her chutzpah, joy of life, quirky sense of humor, passion for the Indiana Hoosiers, love and commitment to family, and optimism. 

The world is a little less glorious without Diane. Rest in peace my friend. 

The Moral Failure Of The American Political Left

 

The Democrats who voted against this bill are reprehensible human beings without the educator intellect to play Bozo the Clown at children’s parties. These politicians without conscience represent the worst of the worst of the American political system. It is an embarrassment.

For the records, these are they representatives who make an apology forvac regime that chants ‘death to America’, murdered our diplomats and soldiers in Lebanon, took American diplomats hostage, high jacked planes, executed citizens for violating Sharia law, perpetrated terrorist murders on Jews on October 7th, murders its own citizens first protesting, subjugated women, hanged gays, isolated the populace from modern society, funded proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas to perpetrate crimes against humanity, attacked their neighbors in the Gulf, created enemies throughout the Gulf region, attacked neighbors who had not attacked them, targeted civilians, dispatched proxies to assassinate those who opposed the regime, sought to return the people of Iran to the 12th Century, repressed any scintilla of dissent.

Any politician, individual, organization, philanthropy, or organism that supports this repressive regime purely to oppose Donald Trump is a traitor to humankind. It is appalling that allegedly educated individuals should be so partisan, so corrupt, so incompetent, so stupid, so inept, so lacking in integrity, so intellectually inept and lacking that there is an inability to acknowledge the truth that has ext for 47 years. How did these troglodytes get elected to public office? Are there constituents so intellectually challenged they cannot understand recent history or any geopolitical concept? 

Perhaps, this is the best illustration as to why the founders of our Republic created the Electoral College College. The general public is to uninformed to actually elect our federal government. 

Wow! 

Support Our Military - No Matter Your Political Beliefs

 

It is unconscionable to me that any member of Congress, any American citizen, or any human being with half a conscience would vote or argue to defund, withhold support, or deny support for our military service personnel. 

That should have been a relic left in the dregs of those who denigrated our military during and after the Vietnam ‘conflict’. 

The fact that the Democrats in Congress continue to deny funding for DHS while we have military personnel deployed to a war zone, withhold the significant likelihood of enemy sleeper cells prepared to commit atrocities in our homeland, disgusts me. 

Unfortunately, too many of the younger political elite were not born, do not recall, and were not taught about the heinous acts of terrorism perpetrated by Iran or proxies of the regime over the last 47 years. Or, they can find some justification for the atrocities because of acts committed by western nations in the years immediately following WWII. Yes, mistakes were made. However, there is a reason it was called a world war! 

To the victors go the spoils. That has been the outcome of armed conflict for millennia. There is not a square foot of land that has escaped the attempts of one party to confiscate it from the occupier. At least in the 21st Century,  at least in the western world, we do not enslave the citizens of the  losers. Instead, we aim to set the people free. 

So, just stop the pontificating from your iPad, iPhone, or laptop. Find a hobby. Read a book. Take a walk. Turn off the mainstream media and let go of the TDS. Support your country🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 

I Support the Iranian People

 

I have several friends among the Iranian diaspora, most of which are strong, outspoken, brilliant, beautiful women. Had they not had the good fortune to escape the tyranny of the Mullahs, they would no doubt be dead at the hands of the regime.

My experience goes back to the 1979 incursion of the US Embassy in Tehran and the taking of US diplomats as hostages, held for 444 days.

For the uninformed, embassy property is considered the territory of the country that occupies the land. As such, the protestors that breached the gates of the US embassy committed a war crime. Taking diplomats hostage constitutes a war crime.

Apologists look to the removal of Mogadishu in 1953 and the subsequent installation of the Shah as an excuse. However, as we’ve been taught since elementary school, two or more wrongs do not make a right. 

In geopolitical situations, looking forward is the only way to cultivate peace & prosperity. Show me a country that has no embarrassing history, and it will be nothing but a fantasy.

Whether you believe that there are solid reasons for the USA to partner with Israel to topple the terrorists that rule Iran or not, consider that we no longer live in a world that can exist in isolation. America First does not mean America only.

For those who did not experience the post WWII Cold War, consider that we lived under the threat of nuclear annihilation for decades- as if hiding under our school desks could protect us.

We, today we live  in an anomaly in-the sphere of world history. The world evil doers are easily identifiable. We can monitor the snakes, cut off their heads, and then infiltrate the dens of vipers and exorcise them from our planet. Try doing that 100 years ago.

And please, whether you love, hate, tolerate, distrust or cautiously consider the acts of Donald Trump, support our troops. Support the USA. 🇺🇸 Celebrate the 250th anniversary of our independence. Try, no matter how hollow your heart may be, to find a scintilla of support, grace, appreciation, acknowledgement, tolerance, love, acceptance or just everyday knowledge that we live in the country that best exemplifies freedom of speech, expression, religion, fairness, justice, equality, opportunity, and ability to dissent that has ever existed throughout humanity. 

Seriously, if you cannot love and support the USA, get on a bus, train, plane, rocket, submarine, hot air balloon, raft, ship, canoe, ballistic missile, or barge and get the hell out of Dodge! 

Namaste, y’all🤗 

Boring Asian Female~ A Book Review

 

A review of Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu

This book is so prescient considering the recent litigation involving the marginalization of Asian applicants to Harvard and other Ivy League universities. Elizabeth appears to be the quintessential Asian woman aspirant to success. 

I loved the prose, the unequivocal focus on gaining admission to Harvard, and the personality quirks that drove Elizabeth.

I had the good fortune to live in Asia more than five years and see the expectations that many Asian women internalized.

Notwithstanding, the book was entertaining and made me laugh at times.

A++ all around.

Thank you to BookBrowse.com, Penguin Random House and NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a honest review.

This book will be released in Hardcover April 28, 2026. 

Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer ~ A Book Review

 Thank you to NetGalley/ Berkeley Publishing for/ BookBrowse for the privilege of reading and Advance Reader Copy of Fireflies in Winter in exchange for an honest review.

Protagonist Cora along with Silas, Leah and young Benjamin were transported by the British from Jamaica to Nova Scotia following the 2nd Maroon war. Maroons were escaped African slaves who fled to the interior mountains of Jamaica, fought colonization, and developed their own culture. The Maroons lived in Nova Scotia between 1796 and 1800 before sailing to Sierra Leone.

Cora is an orphan living with her friend Leah and widower Silas, who has an eye on Cora. The book actually begins with a woman on trial in a Halifax courtroom. The narrative moves back and forth from the courtroom to the Maroons living in the village of Preston.
I liked the writing style of Eleanor Shearer. Additionally, I’d been u familiar with the deportations of Maroons from Jamaica to Nova Scotia, which intrigued me and caused me to dig deeper into the history. I can’t imagine a greater cultural shift than being transported from the Caribbean Beaty of Jamaica to the wintry starkness of Nova Scotia. 
Ultimately, I thought Cora was the least interesting character in the book. I could not empathize with Cora. Agnes remained an enigma. Other characters including Thursday, Leah, and Benjamin found my heart.

Protagonist Cora along with Silas, Leah and young Benjamin were transported by the British from Jamaica to Nova Scotia following the 2nd Maroon war. Maroons were escaped African slaves who fled to the interior mountains of Jamaica, fought colonization, and developed their own culture. The Maroons lived in Nova Scotia between 1796 and 1800 before sailing to Sierra Leone.

Cora is an orphan living with her friend Leah and widower Silas, who has an eye on Cora. The book actually begins with a woman on trial in a Halifax courtroom. The narrative moves back and forth from the courtroom to the Maroons living in the village of Preston.
I liked the writing style of Eleanor Shearer. Additionally, I’d been u familiar with the deportations of Maroons from Jamaica to Nova Scotia, which intrigued me and caused me to dig deeper into the history. I can’t imagine a greater cultural shift than being transported from the Caribbean Beaty of Jamaica to the wintry starkness of Nova Scotia. 
Ultimately, I thought Cora was the least interesting character in the book. I could not empathize with Cora. Agnes remained an enigma. Other characters including Thursday, Leah, and Benjamin found my heart.

This book will be published February 10, 2026

I Saw Melania with Girlfriends ~ We Enjoyed It

I hadn’t planned to see the film Melania at a cinema. I am neither a huge fan nor one with antipathy towards FLOTUS. However,  the degree of denigration and contempt directed towards Melania Trump over the years I’ve found misogynistic, unbalanced, and completely out of proportion to that of any First Lady in my lifetime- including Nancy Reagan. 

Since COVID, we’ve been to a cinema on average once annually. We had planned to drive to NYC on Friday to spend the weekend visiting the JP Morgan Library, the Tenement Museum, and to attend a party in Brooklyn on Saturday evening. The bone chilling projected temperatures caused us to scuttle our plans. 

Thursday, I reached out to a friend who has been experiencing some personal challenge to check in.  She invited me to join her and others for dinner and a screening of Melania Friday evening. Why not? As my husband said, I needed to be ‘aired out’. I accepted the invite and am happy I did so. 

The near unanimous snarky reviews by critics who regularly deride the former and current POTUS and FLOTUS encouraged rather than discouraged me to watch the film in a theater. Our group went to a cinema in Leesburg, Virginia that was quite full. 

This documentary focuses on the twenty days leading up to the Inauguration of President Trump and afforded ‘we the people’ a look behind the curtain at the details involved in preparing for the transition between presidential administrations. 

 Critics focused almost exclusively on Melania’s shoe collection and the designing of her inaugural wardrobe. But, it was much more of an insight into the eye for details in preparing for a donation dinner at the Building Museum, how she would present herself to the world on Inauguration Day, the warmth she projected to those working with her, the security concerns regarding the safety of her husband and family, and her commitment to children’s issues which she shares with Brigitte Macron and Queen Rania of Jordan.

It is evident that Melania Trump guards her privacy. From the time of Martha Washington, the spouse of the American president has been thrust into living in a fishbowl. No First Lady during my lifetime has been subjected to the criticism, cruelty, contempt, misrepresentation and outright hatred as has Melania Trump. Her clothes, her image, her reticence, her sphinx like attitude are her armor. 

After seeing this film, I am more impressed by Melania’s determination to thrive among the nest of vipers that make assumptions and cast aspersions based upon Trump Derangement Syndrome.

I, for one, hope Melania Trump gets the last laugh. 

Why Are There No Protests On University Campuses About The Crackdowns on the People Of Iran

It certainly is curious why university campuses are silent regarding the atrocities committed by the Revolutionary Guards, secret police and mullahs against the citizens of Iran that have been existing under this repressive regime for 47 years. 

Students and paid protesters marched, held sit ins, and tormented Jewish students and the state of Israel over the war in Gaza triggered by the brutal attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023 at the behest and funding by the theocracy in Tehran. 

Confused violent protesters in illegal ‘sanctuary’ cities oppose the apprehension, arrest and deportation of violent criminal illegal aliens. None are crying or holding candlelight vigils for the victims of these criminals. 

Posters in The Washington Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal make disingenuous comments about the people of Iran, claiming there is no reason for the USA to be involved in the political upheaval there.

These uninformed ideologues apparently do not understand US law, the geopolitical issues, historical record, and the fact they are patsies of foreign interests and funding by organizations that profit from civil unrest.

Fact: illegal immigration is against the law, warrants deportation of illegal aliens, and impeding federal law enforcement engaged in legal activity is a federal crime;

Fact: declaring a municipality a sanctuary is against federal law: 

Fact: states and cities cannot supersede federal law;

Fact: every president with the exception of Biden deported more people than DJT without all of the drama;

Fact: Gazans placed Hamas in power. The got the government they deserved;

Fact: Israel has a right to defend itself against the tyranny of the Iranian regime and its proxies;

Fact: Iranians are not Arabs;

Fact: the people of Iran are freedom loving people. The mullahs lied to them and have repressed them for 47 years.

Fact: the only potential reasons for supporting Gaza over Iran is antisemitism; 

Fact: the only reason for Americans to support criminal illegal aliens over their victims is the result of propaganda by leftists with TDS;

Fact: Members of Congress are responsible for inertia, failing to enact much needed immigration reforms, blustering for media, putting reelection dollars and special interests above the American people.

Fact: people with full time jobs and students with a full curriculum with the intent to actually graduate in 4 years do not have time to participate in protests of questionable ideology.

Stop the hate. Quit believing the propaganda. Do a little research to discover what actual Nazis did to Jews, what actual totalitarian regimes do to suppress dissent, and how people living under socialism actually live.

Take off the rose colored glasses and see reality. 

Minnesota Is Ground Zero For Fraud & Disorder

 

I have zero tolerance for the bologna that is and has been happening in Minnesota. The concept of sanctuary cities is antithetical to the concept of the rule of law. Anyone that advocates for sanctuary cities supports illegal alien criminals over US citizens or green card holders. They support the safety of perpetrators over victims.

Seriously, how can these protestors support their positions? Yes, the death of Renee Goode was a tragedy. It is not up to me to make a legal conclusion. Ms. Goode made some seriously unwise decisions in her advocacy. Was the ICE officer appropriate in his response? I cannot state. However, the temperature of these raids and protests has been readily apparent for months. “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”

The leadership of Minnesota and  Minneapolis is antithetical to the rule of law. The rhetoric from the political class is nonsensical. I do not believe the efforts to remove illegal aliens is based on race or color. Instead, it is based on immigration status. I want to believe in the Constitution and the rule of law, the deportation of those who skipped  the line, and the disregard for fairness.

I believe legal immigration is critical to the growth of our country. But, illegal aliens should not be given amnesty. I’ve lived internationally for years. I’ve seen the lines of hopefuls waiting to get an interview with consulate officials to come here legally. Those that follow the rules deserve precedence. 

When I lived in foreign countries, I followed the rules. There was no choice. Otherwise, immediate deportation. I understood that. I also had to carry a residency card on me everywhere. 

Today, when I went to a medical appointment, I had to show a photo ID. This is not onerous. Following immigration law is not unreasonable. 

Come here legally or leave. I will never understand the rhetoric of the leftist officials. 

Or, let the sanctuary states exist without any federal dollars. Declare independence. Withdraw from the USA. Decide to declare yourself an independent country and support every service based upon state tax dollars. Agree to eschew your claims that you deserve federal  assistance for anything.

You either agree to be part of the Union or withdraw. 

I support ICE. I have antipathy towards anyone who uses Soros backed money and tactics to resist government laws. 

Do these idiots truly want to create an environment that creates the potential for civil war? 

Sorry, but if a state supports fraud, an expanded welfare state, the exploitation of the American taxpayer, the increase of taxpayer funded benefits for people who can work and the continued allowing that SNAP recipients  can use taxpayer money to buy sodas, candy, junk food, ultra processed foods, or get cash back to buy cigarettes and alcohol is abhorrent. 

Let them buy beans, rice, pasta, eggs, milk, tomato sauce, ground beef,   Vegetables, fruit, rolled oats. Cheese, and chicken. No lobster, leg of lamb, shrimp, crab, steak, ultra processed packaged meals, etc. If you are living off the taxpayers- basics only. Otherwise, get a job and pay your own way. We do!

The Pie & Mash Detective Agency- A Book Review

 

The Pie & Mash Detective Agency is a delightfully quirky debut by a duo of writers using the pseudonym J.D. Brinkworth. Unemployed Jane encourages her partner, Simon, to enroll in a course learning how to develop skills to investigate crimes, missing persons, cheating partners. The duo are assigned to investigate an old case that remains unsolved by their instructor. What happened to Nellie Thorne? 

Replete with equally appealing eccentric protagonists and peripheral characters, I believe a cozy mystery series could be successful. 

Many thanks to BookBrowse, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an unpublished galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Publishes in ebook format and paperback March 10, 2026

My Ghosts of Christmases Past 2025

 

This is my 66th Christmas. It is the second Christmas without any of our parents. I’ve learned my first husband and both of his parents have gone to the great beyond. It would be so easy to slip into melancholia. That is what happened at Christmas time 2024. The season has been complicated  because  my mother left us between Christmas and New Years in 2016, failing to notify any of her loved ones that her cancer had returned. We felt she’d deprived us of the opportunity to spend time with her and say a proper goodbye. My siblings and I were angry and resentful until recently. Once Daddy was gone, we found a modicum of acceptance.

We decided to find new ways to experience the holidays. There is little feeling of Christmas cheer. However, I decided we had to have a tree after nine years of leaving the decorations we’d collected over the years stay buried in boxes in the basement. Baby steps.

I watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation for the first time in years and laughed out loud.

Our nearby Virginia winery, Briede’, gave us a temporary refuge with a tasting room tastefully decorated, a fire in the wood burning fireplace, cheerful Christmas music, and a welcoming, friendly staff to help us move forward.

I’ve been looking through photographs from holiday times of joy, remembering the good times and some that were fraught with family drama. 

We like to look back on holidays from our childhoods and hold onto memories that in retrospect weren’t always as uplifting and filled with the family cohesion and love that we would prefer to recall. 

Some aunt or uncle always got drunk. Dad cleared the table before people were finished eating. A couple of the great aunts with dementia held imaginary conversations with imaginary friends. 

Dad always took unflattering photographs of mom with her head in the oven and her buttocks in the air. She was never amused.

Our parents dragged us to extra masses to ensure we earned jewels for our future heavenly crowns.

Mom always secluded herself in the basement on December 26th, her mother’s birthday, and cried lonely tears. At the time, none of us understood the pain of being motherless children, even in late adulthood.

So, my brother and sister and I have tried to heal our sibling rivalry wounds, resolving to pack the past hurts away in subterranean vaults, and support one another as only those with shared history can do. 

Although we rarely recall the same experiences in the same way, we have an unbreakable connection bound by shared history, laughter, tears, pain, joy, memories, collections of photographs, time & place, love, hurt, dysfunction, culinary catastrophes, crazy relatives, and shared generational events. 

When I look at these ghosts of Christmases past, I smile through my tears, wishing that for even a nanosecond I could go back in time and capture the innocence, appreciate the joy and laughter, and take a part of it with me to where I am today. 

I guess we all have just a little bit of It’s A Wonderful Life in our hearts. I just wish I’d known to appreciate more when I had it. 

The Bondi Beach Massacre- The Collective Guilt for Western Antisemitism

  Every single politician, university administrator, undereducated hate monger, media outlet, pundit, protester, activist, religious zealot, apologist, student agitator and individual that turned a blind eye, supported a liberal or far right bias, failed to tell those calling for the support of Hamas, arguing there is a difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, those who fail to investigate fraud and sexual abuse by migrants, those who fail to condemn the October 7, 2023 attacks, and those with closed minds that forget the lessons of the past are to blame, have blood on their hands/faces/ torsos, and minds. If you fall into any of these categories, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. What, Chuck Schumer commented on a football game instead of expressing outrage over the terrorist attack in Australia!

This is not about religious differences. A Syrian Muslim, Ahmed el Ahmed,  intervened without any weapon but his hands and body to save innocent people. He was shot multiple times. Mr. Ahmed is a hero and the example of how true Muslim believers practice their faith. 

I am angry at the apologists who are too weak, too dirty, too afraid, too stupid, too incompetent, too compromised, too pandering, too small,  too corrupt, and too beholden to a constituency- whether politically, economically or otherwise- to stand up and say NO! 

So, the next time someone within your sphere makes a pejorative comment about Jews, say something! My guess is that in our society of mutts, most of mankind has some Jewish blood. 🩸 stop the madness. Stop the hate. Stop listening to extreme right wing & left wing rhetoric. Stop clicking on sites that reward these reprobates with money. The Holocaust was real. Be the voice of reason. Do the next right thing.

What Brings You Joy?

 

Social media tends to focus on the negative. The algorithms identify stories, articles, opinions or websites that tend to support the world view based upon  our ‘clicks’. 

But I tend to randomly click on articles for a different view. Ultimately, however, I want to concentrate on what brings me joy. 

Books bring me joy. Finding a stellar short series on Netflix brings me joy. Discovering a new recipe brings me joy. Reading about the triumph of an individual over adversity brings me joy.

Seeing that someone becomes open to listening and accepting different views brings me joy. Seeing a young person disregard negativity and reaching for the stars brings me joy.

My parents raised me to believe anything is possible.Gumption. Curiosity. Interest. Wanderlust. Taking chances. Embracing differences. Exploring the world. Looking outside the typical viewpoint to embrace what the diversity of our world cultures has to offer- widens our perspectives and helps us to eschew our biases.

Travel engenders in us an understanding that we are but a small particle in the universe. It gives us range and perspective of scale. We learn that we live in a limited world view. And, we see that what we perceive as normal is anything but normal.

I am grateful that I’ve learned to find joy in all of my disparate experiences and appreciate that I’ve been exposed to different world views. I wish every American had the opportunity to look at the outside so they can appreciate the blessings we enjoy. 

Pantone Again Declares A Ridiculous Color of the Year~~WHITE

Technically, Pantone has named ‘ Cloud  Dancer’ as its color for 2026. The Pantone website describes the Cloud Dancer ‘color’ as calming- ‘ a billowy, balanced white imbued with a feeling of serenity.’

The Pantone color sample, borrowed from the Pantone website, is shown in the upper left corner of this piece. From a scientific perspective, white is the absence of color. As such, Pantone has named the absence of color as the color of 2026! 

Considering the political controversy surrounding the term ‘white’ in recent years, this selection appears tone deaf if not just idiocy. In political parlance there is white privilege, Nazi , White Christian Nationalist,  Fascist, MAGA, Karens, haters, deplorables, poor white trash, magats, colonizers, oppressors, racists, and uneducated hicks.

From a fashion perspective, white has limited appeal if one has pets or children or enjoys anything with tomato sauce. White linen yellows rather quickly if not laundered immediately after wearing. White shoes are generally ugly. White pants are notoriously challenging to wear more than once. White shirts rarely last more than one season. Overly white teeth are glaring and distracting. In colder climates, white is difficult to wear. Notwithstanding updated guidance from the fashion industry, white is best left to summer months in floating, gossamer fabrics. But, white needs a scarf, bold jewelry, or an attitude to pull it off. Most of us are not Gwyneth or Meghan.

In the decorative world, I look at white as the default paint color when an apartment is between renters, when a house is up for sale and should show no personality, or there is a lack of imagination. Again, nobody with pets, children, those who entertain and serve red wine,  or those who enjoy gardening or any hobby that involves dirt should have a white sofa or white carpet unless heavily invested in Scotch Guard, club soda, Wine Away or has Stanley Steamer on speed dial. Perhaps Cloud Dancer will work for an Architectural Digest spread, but not for real life among we, the great unwashed.

Once again, Pantone has missed the mark. 2026 Pantone gets an F-.

Harry Sussex Has No Right to Criticize Our President

 

The former working royal, who is currently residing in the USA, has zero credibility in criticizing the POTUS. Those of us who are citizens with the privilege to vote can criticize. Many of us exercise that right on a regular basis.

However, the erstwhile Duke of Sussex, who is abrogating his duties for personal pleasure with his self important spousal unit who spouts paeans to family whilst eschewing any relationships with her husband’s and her own family, has no credibility. Harry Sussex and his wife have devolved into memes, self important media games, and hypocrites of unimaginable levity as they troll the American public for any scintilla of relevance. 

Americans find pseudo ‘royalty’ entertaining as clickbait. But we have no use for grifters, wannabes, self important media games,  misguided faux ‘humanitarians’, or those with shell charities that scam acolytes.

Harry Sussex and his wife could have done a lot of good in the world working within the system. But, they wanted money. They wanted media attention. They want to ‘fit in’. But, they do not have the self awareness to do it with elan.

They need to apologize to their families, eat some humble pie, agree to button their lips, or….. give up the titles they use for personal gain.

I respect the Kardashians because they are brilliant marketers and actually produce products people want to buy. The Sussex clan are just delusional examples of people who aspire beyond their abilities.

And, Harry- you are here as a guest of the USA. I can criticize the POTUS. You cannot.  Criticize our government on a tourist visa or green card- risk deportation.