For the past few days I’ve been thinking a lot about a person whom I never met: Thomas Gregory Griffin, Jr. Just 17 days ago, Thomas took his final breath. His wife, Orianna Dixon Griffin was in a familiar place: by his side. Back to Thomas in a moment. I’ve known “Ori” for about 38 …
Hotel, motel … I bet plenty of y’all know what comes next. Back to that in a moment. In second grade I had a crush on the nurse, so I pretended to be sick. My teacher sent me to the office; the nurse sent me home — for two days! In third grade I stayed …
Of all the memories people recall, childhood “firsts” have to rank near the top: first day of school, first time riding a bike, first crush, first kiss, first dance. More on that in a second. Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocence, there was something that I both loved and …
By now you’ve probably heard about 45’s alleged “sh**hole” comments during a private immigration meeting regarding DACA in the Oval Office. While 45 denies using disparaging language, albeit – well after severe condemnation and backlash, he acknowledges that the words he used were “tough.” (Based on the evidence, I believe that the comment was said.) …
“Oh my God, oh my God, don’t let me die!” Not exactly the words I wanted to read before boarding a 737 one night ago. I’ll get back to that in a moment. If you spend a lot of time in airports, “people-watching” may not be something that you do much of when you’re at …
If you’re anywhere near my age, you may remember the days when people had traditional snail mail Pen Pal relationships. Nowadays, with the expansion of the Internet, Pen Pals are pretty much a thing of the past. (There are some online clubs, and prisoners still develop Pen Pal-type relationships.) When I was in fifth grade, …
The holiday season has a way of bringing out the best in people. Just the other day, I was on the receiving end of generosity, when a kind gentleman — whom I had just shared a brief conversation with — politely asked if he could pay for my coffee at 7-Eleven. I was taken aback …
If there’s one parenting ritual I’ve inherited from my dad, it’s the propensity to lecture. My kids undoubtedly do not enjoy them, but it beats getting hit with a chancla. My dad viewed lecturing as an art form, and he made sure I heard every single word. Here are some examples. When I was about …
Two public parks, Boggini Park and Brigadoon Park, will not resonate with the friends whom I’ve met in college or during adulthood. Of course, to the people whom I’ve known since elementary-, middle- and high school, these two public places hold a special — or not so special — place in our hearts and minds. …
A few things make most of us feel like a million bucks: a clean shave, a clean car, and a clean cut. Of course, there’s nothing unusual about a clean shave. Many of us partake in this morning ritual day after day after day. And while we used to wash our cars on a regular …