The events of the last few weeks, especially as they pertain to panic hoarding, have taken me back to re-living my old anxieties and to my childhood in Cold War Poland, when everything was a daily battle to survive with rations. Including the battle for toilet paper....

“What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?”
― Erin Hanson

Summer 2016 has been a challenging one for me thus far. First, there was the sudden end of a two year relationship – it was the first time I opened my heart after my marriage. Talk about vulnerable. Then, there was the very sudden death a week ago of a very close friend’s spouse. So painful, so hard, so surreal. Still adjusting to these two finalities.

I woke up last Saturday morning in Solana Beach in a bit of a panic. It seems, most Saturday mornings lately, I’m in LA, ready to do coffee and a power walk through Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, and excited by all the cool and iconic surroundings that continue to inspire me to no end.

Fourteen days ago tonight I checked myself into the ER with chest pains. After many tests, my cardiologist finally advised me today that my existing heart condition, pericarditis, has turned chronic and was the cause of the pain. Pericarditis is inflammation of the sack around the heart and is caused by a virus. No doubt stress was a contributing factor.

Summer 2016 has been a challenging one for me thus far. First, there was the sudden end of a two year relationship – it was the first time I opened my heart after my marriage. Talk about vulnerable. Then, there was the very sudden death a week ago of a very close friend’s spouse. So painful, so hard, so surreal. Still adjusting to these two finalities.

Summer 2016 has been a challenging one for me thus far. First, there was the sudden end of a two year relationship – it was the first time I opened my heart after my marriage. Talk about vulnerable. Then, there was the very sudden death a week ago…
read more

Why Not? My girlfriend texted me recently about some life drama and ended by saying “and maybe one day I’ll write a book about it, ha ha ha!”. No “ha ha ha”. ..

The other day I was getting ready for a birthday party and scratching my head for a present idea. My friend was about to turn 45 and I’m certain she’s seen pretty much everything in the gift giving pantheon over those years. And then it hit me – give her the start of what she dreams about and let her create the rest! Baaam! An idea was instantly born…