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.