Kids, Chaos, and Puppy Love

No joke.  I truly thought when my children left the nest I’d fly away, too.  If I didn’t make it as far as Italy or Ecuador, I’d migrate south to Seagrove or west to Big Sur.  I’d park my vintage camper (circa 1959) and chase seagulls, collect shells, and make a mermaid my muse.  I’d bake pies like Sylvia Plath and burn rubber if…

Native Son and Mom on a Mission

Andrew, Stephen, and John Teaching has brought amazing students into my life. And families. The Gentuso clan is one gang I’ll never forget. The three boys’ ACT scores were in triple digits while their wrestling pins racked up powerful points. I loved that they were avid readers, creative, interesting, and best of all, all heart. Knowing them has made my life richer. Stephen, the…

Dancing on Grapes

April Kim Kim and Mayuresh Last Saturday was as good as it gets. A year ago my friend, April, invited me to Italian Lights, calling me back to my first love affair with a culture. Check it out here: http://atomic-temporary-5988497.wpcomstaging.com/2010/09/18/finding-an-old-love-in-new-venue-italian-lights/. This year, I invited a gang and I was back in Italy again. I spent hours at table exchanging stories, laughs and food with…

Technology and the Brave New Classroom

Most don’t realize that Memphis is home to more than one king. In Elvis’ hometown, education rules at a world “think tank” started ten years ago at the Lausanne Collegiate School. Now each summer administrators, technology personnel, and teachers from every continent collaborate at the Lausanne Laptop Institute to discuss how to best use technology in the classroom. I just returned from my third…

Classic Coup World Tour

One answer to “What did you do on your summer vacation?” will be trekking my shirts abroad (below) and preparing to hit the road with Classic Coup myself in August.

Summer Art and Play Dates

Like freebirds we picked up bright and shining things along the way…good conversation, laughs, leisure. We met artists who reminded us we are all made in the image of the Great Creator. By honoring their inner children with their work, they invited ours to join and play.

Farewell 2010…and a decade

While many may think I’m at a salsa party on NYE, I’m not. I wanted a last night by the tree, my son in the next room playing video games. He’ll graduate in 2012…too soon…and I haven’t had the chance over Christmas break to look back on the past year and thank God for all His blessings. Many firsts in 2010…my students doing a…

Christmas Catch-up

Apologies for disappearing since September…too busy living the “Rich Life” to record it. Since returning from Magic, I was more motivated than ever to grow Classic Coup…and meanwhile the mom/teacher/writer/salsera world kept spinning… Now there’s the holidays when I really run behind…family coming to my house for dinner tonight and still grocery, cooking, gift wrapping to go. No complaints. At Christmas I catch-up on…

Finding an Old Love in New Venue…Italian Lights

Last weekend was full. Saturday at lunch I caught up with Andrew, a former student who graduated almost a decade ago and wants me to read Replay by Ken Grimwood. That night I danced with friends at Jonathan and Pablo’s, the guys who invited Kim and me into the salsa world in March of 2008. Sunday night I ended the weekend with the usual…

So Long Summer…

It has been a great weekend. And a great summer. Saturday I made a video for Classic Coup and saw Buckwheat Zydeco at the Franklin Jazz Festival with friends, April, Carole (her children Emily and Ewin), Emily, and Cheryl. I danced salsa at Mad Donna’s for the first time in much too long. Sunday I celebrated Bionic Woman/Best Bud Kim’s cycling 100 miles…and wished…

I Am Love…a Two-Sided Tale

The movie was eleven years in-the-making. It raises questions that have plagued us for centuries. As the intensity crescendos toward the climax and the resolution resonates with the deafening score, we’re moved to look at our lives to be sure we’re not one of Thoreau’s “mass of men (and women)who live quiet lives of desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”

Staycation #9: The Golden Age of Couture

Not since opening night of SATC2 have I seen so many women so excited. In fact, though I’ve seen many-an- art- enthusiast enjoying exhibits at the Frist, I’ve never been bumped along in a crowd as happy…downright jubilant…as last night.