I’m a girl whose raising a boy. He’s six now; I’m 34. How can I control the programming for a gender for which I hold no code? I want to sculpt him into a good man. I want to make him tough enough to take the punches and emotional enough to cry when they hurt. I want him to be aware of his happiness first … Continue reading A Girl Raising a Boy: What I Want for My Son
This morning, my two kiddos decided to have a pillow fight. OK, one of them decided and truthfully it was kind of one-sided. In fact, baby’s dad wasn’t really on her side, as you can see in the video below. This lasted for over 10 minutes, but I figure these 40-seconds were enough to get a smile on anyone’s face. The best part is that … Continue reading Super Bowl Sunday Pillow Fight
The blog is called Hearts Everywhere but it had been a while since I had posted anything heart-related. I was having a crisis of blog identity; I wondered if my blog title no longer fit my blog. As a band-aid for my doubt/guilt, my boyfriend suggested I take one day a week and post something heart-related. (If you want to read why I started my … Continue reading Bringing Back the Hearts
I will remember this January as the one with all the snowstorms that didn’t really affect me much. (I had to drive in it once – but somehow didn’t mind; I grabbed my camera and got some good photos on the way.) I felt terrible for the rest of the country, but got annoyed at all the Facebook weather updates and the photos of the … Continue reading I Will Remember this January
We threw a surprise party for my sister this weekend. It was the second time we were able to do this; the last time being 18 years ago. My goal, on her 30th birthday, was to make sure she realized she was not # 2. She has gone through life doing everything after me – and with a big mouth, a matching personality, and a … Continue reading My Sister’s Surprise Party & The Year of the Family
For those of us who have been divorced, indubitably at one time or another, we turn the magnifying glass on ourselves and question our judgment. We scrutinize every move, every red flag missed, every sign we ignored. I [thought I] wanted something, I tried it, I gave it my best, and it didn’t work out [according to original plan]. It doesn’t really matter the reason – … Continue reading Joining the Divorce Club
As long as he’s been able to speak, my 8-year-old has been philosophizing, rationalizing and challenging me. He’s not just precocious – he’s insightful, kind and caring. I knew it was just a matter of time before he said something that completely paralyzed my normally loquacious tongue. We were passively watching David Turtera’s “My Fair Wedding,” and the boy asks me, “If you had a … Continue reading One Order of Happily Ever After, Hold the Marriage
The boyfriend is sick with the stomach virus and sleeping in bed. The baby naps in a room down the hall. The older boy is at his father’s house. The house is still and eerily dark. It could be the middle of the night, but it is just shy of 2pm. It is silent except for my nails clicking of the keyboard and the white … Continue reading On the Edge of 2011
NOTE TO READERS: Normally this blog is reserved for transcriptions of my life. However, in the slow, yet determined pursuit of my writing career, sometimes I’m inspired to write outside my box. The below piece, King-Sized Bed is a piece of adult fiction. (I’m not sure if that’s a real genre, but the piece contains adults, adult topics, and adult words such as sex & … Continue reading King-Sized Bed
“I worry if I will have enough love in my heart for two,” a friend of mine recently admitted when I asked her if she ever wanted a second child. For those who have had the luxury of more than one child, it must seem like a ridiculous statement – but for those that have been the mommy of one (for 8 + years), it … Continue reading My Second Child
This is so cool and so 2010. I have been the go-to Google Gal for a long time so clearly Google Search Stories excited me. I wasted no time … and this is far from the last search story by yours truly. Check out my 30-second creation about the year that was: I’ve always had plenty to talk and write about when it comes to … Continue reading Google Search Stories: Life Entertains
From http://www.hammermania.com I haven’t posted anything in over 5 months. I’ve even written posts about not posting and haven’t posted them. I have plenty written – all in back posts but never posted. Here’s why. Step 1: I got knocked up. Step 2: I had over 6 months of gruesome, disgusting, debilitating nausea that lasted most of the day and had me barfing every day. … Continue reading Me – Preggers McGreggers
The Internet allows us to find people we would never otherwise would have met. After I blogged about the heart potato lady (Mary Apple) from Letterman, her daughter, Claire emailed me to share her love of hearts with me. I found someone whose love of hearts may trump mine. She was lovely enough to share personal photos of her home with me. Claire is an … Continue reading Hearts Beyond the Potato
Recently I went on a computer scavenger hunt to find some old writing pieces. On my way to the X-Marks the Spot, I found some random G-isms that I wrote here and there along the way. Most fall under the category of life and emotions. Here I spew: ON ANGER: Don’t give in to the anger. Some pattern of behavior causes you to be mad … Continue reading Randomisms…On Anger, Writing, Divorce, Fear …
She was buxom, plump – altogether about 100 pounds too heavy. She wore faded black leggings and a black fitted t-shirt. Her softness spilled out despite the black spandex trying to hold in her body. She sat with her arms crossed on the uptown train to somewhere. Her blonde frizzy curls were piled sloppily into a lazy bun on the top of her hair. She … Continue reading Train Uptown: Diverted
To HER on her WEDDING DAY: There’s no such thing as a perfect person – only a person that’s perfect for you. Trust yourself to know that you found him – and hold onto that trust in yourself and in each other. Remember this day and how you feel about each other. Life will be rocky and there will be days when your mind will … Continue reading Wedding Wishes
I made this list when I first created a MySpace page. I’ve since deleted the page, but a hunt through old files revealed this list. It’s random and incomplete (life fills it in …) but without further ado … here’s what I preach: Life Advices by Me: • Walk carefully in high heels.• John Lennon said it best – life is what happens when you’re … Continue reading Life Advices
I can’t describe a mother’s love. It would be like describing a song to a deaf person – or the perfect red to someone who’s color blind. A mother’s love; it exists only in a dimension understood once you enter it. A mother’s love is uprooting her life from one side of the world and moving to another. A mother’s love is carrying a potty … Continue reading A Mother’s Love
“Where did you meet?” When you’re in a relationship for a long time, you hear this question a lot. When this relationship is also seemingly successful, inquiring minds are often pulling for the ‘once upon a time’ of your story. My boyfriend and I have been together over 4 years. We recite the story similarly when we’re apart, but when we’re together, he always tags … Continue reading Where Did You Meet?
Sunday afternoon was a quintessential spring day in New York City. 61 degrees and the sky was as blue as the Caribbean I’m dreaming about (and will feel on my feet in 3 days). But somehow my 7-year-old son and I couldn’t motivate out of our pajamas. By 3:00pm the guilt was killing me. I had to take this boy outside. Heck, I had to … Continue reading A Modern Urban Sunday Afternoon
Today is my son’s 7th birthday. When he was born I made a pledge to write everything down – I didn’t. Next I swore I’d write him a letter every year on his birthday – I wrote two. Last year, when I lost my job and my son asked me what job I wanted, I told him I wanted to be a writer. “You’re a … Continue reading HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY JACOB!
A friend of mine tagged me in a note on Facebook. She conducted an interview with her 7-year-old son and suggested I do the same. I did – but my experiment evolved… My sister was hanging out with us when I was conducting the interview with my son — and she wanted to give her answers. So I documented those. Then I thought it would … Continue reading Who’s Mommy? By: Son, Sister Boyfriend
Four years ago today I met you and knew I would always know you. Three years ago, the world tasted differently. We were just beginning to merge the flavors of our bountiful meal. My love wrote me this poem on one of those mornings where he used to sneak out before Jake got up. We had just celebrated our one year anniversary. Today feels like … Continue reading Kiss Goodbye
Once upon a time … Female O+ met …Male O-> There were some standard relationship courting …Wink ; )Smile : ) He got … Tongue-tied :& But finally figured out the right thing to say: You’re Hot! ~~:-) She started … Blushing *^_^* He gave her a … Big Kiss :-(|) that left her … Dazed %-) He set the mood … Lit Candle ~= … Continue reading A Simple Love Story-icon
On the PS of Valentine’s Day, read about 5 Geeky Marriage Proposals That Worked from Wired. Love geeks. Love love. Love creative proposals. Here’s an ode to Geek Love. You must read this brilliant article from last March – a eulogy of sorts to Gary Gygax, co-creator of the game Dungeons & Dragons. The article speaks how Gygax, on the foundation of role-playing and polyhedral … Continue reading Ode to Geek Love
Warning: This may be rated PG-13. I’m not a big football fan – or sports fan for that matter, but yesterday was my favorite Superbowl ever. Here are the highlights: I DVR-ed the game in hopes of fast-forwarding through the football and instead watching the commercials (hey – I’m in advertising). Here is my favorite commercial from the night: Somewhere between the coin toss and … Continue reading Super Bowl Photo shoot
A medicine cabinet is our open book. Accessible to any bathroom visitor, we present a historical medical scrapbook of our lives behind a hinged mirror door. It’s a treasure chest screaming to be explored; secret revelations waiting to be discovered. I recently opened my medicine cabinet to realize it was over flooding. It came as a shock to me since I’m not a big pill … Continue reading 2008 in the Medicine Cabinet
Even Mother Nature herself has created hearts out of nature. But apparently sometimes you have to look at something from a very specific angle (mostly from very high above) to realize it’s a heart. Pretty symbolic of love; you see its truest form when you look at it from a bigger perspective rather than minutely analyze every detail. You cannot see the flaws from so … Continue reading Hearts Naturally.
I met a boy, a man, a friend; I knew his face but not his name.I recognized his eyes;the man behind the clown. The clown gave me a heart balloon.The man gave me his name. He gave me his love. His life. His happy. I gave him my heart, my soul, my days. He didn’t guarantee the balloon wouldn’t popor that it wouldn’t deflate.But it … Continue reading Love Fragile. Love Floating.
Writer.The more you say it,the more you do it.The more you become it,the more it becomes you. Continue reading On Writing
9/11 as a number, when spoken out loud, has become redefined. For most Americans, visually 9-1-1 has always symbolized emergency. After September 11th, 2001, 9/11 represented a day that surpassed emergency. It became a day I wouldn’t forget as it happened in real time. Soon it evolved into my generation’s JFK question: “Where were you on 9/11?” I remember the day in bits of pieces, … Continue reading 2,659 Days Ago Our Lives Changed Forever
I put off writing the ABOUT ME section of my blog for a long time. Partly because the Me changes so often. Partly because I don’t know how to stop once I start writing (especially about Moi). I tried to write a bio-type blurb and 5 pages of narcissistic crap came out. So I started a memoir. In the meantime I feel like I owe … Continue reading ABOUT ME
“How old are you mommy,” my six-year-old asked me recently. I’ve told him before but it must have been in another context. He’s asking for another reason. I’m not sure why.“34,” I answer.“That’s old,” he says. Later that night on the goodnight phone call to his dad, I overhear him ask the same question. This time he adds a follow up: “How old will you … Continue reading How Old is Old?
Happy Birthday! Happy New Year! Happy first something, happy last something, happy anniversary of your first or your last something! Humans love to wish each other happiness. And why not? Our country bestows us with, upon other rights, the pursuit of HAPPINESS. We are entitled and we want to claim it! There is a new breed among us – the self-realized happy seekers. With the … Continue reading Oh Happiness, Where Art Thou?
I never wanted to believe in fairytales because frankly, I’m a realist. But I’m also a liar and a coward. I hate mediocrity, yet I live my life just above it. It hurts so much to hear that I’m not trying hard enough, because I’m usually not. Why? Fear of failure? How could such a fear lead to such detriment? But now I think it’s … Continue reading Dreaming of Fairytales
Dear Andrew, I saw this and thought of you. Turn the volume up and watch her crash into the pole. xo,G. Continue reading For Andrew
I had many expectations and fears before I had a child. I was afraid of health issues. I was afraid that he wouldn’t be cute. I was afraid I wouldn’t love him enough. None of those fears came to fruition. Instead my body and mind became overwrought with how to feed and put this baby to sleep. Babies are about feeding and sleeping and somehow … Continue reading Mothering
Today is Friday and your period was due on Monday. Here you are again – a pregnancy scare, guaranteed to be a sobering moment for any couple in love. Dating sure is hard in the grown up world. Too early to confirm or deny the suspicion, you wait a few more days before you fork over the ten bucks and pee on the stick. You … Continue reading Pregnancy Scare
“SURGERY,” I had written in bold red letters on the calendar square for January 30, 2008. I scheduled my thyroid surgery for early in the year thinking I would supply the remaining 11 months with healing ammunition. Eight is my favorite number and this was going to be MY YEAR. At that point, I couldn’t see the flaws in my logic anymore than I could … Continue reading Speaking My Unspoken Thank Yous
Gallery Bar, New York City. The photo quality from this photobooth was top notch; you get a 4×6 with 6 different poses. Continue reading I heart a photobooth in NYC.
She sits peacefully in the hospital chair with a look of hope and recovery in her eyes. She wears her light blue hospital gown as comfortably as a housedress and proudly shows me her arms freed from all the IVs. She boastfully tells me how she ate chicken soup that morning and how she spoke to Rosa on the phone, who called her directly in … Continue reading Baba’s Heart
This morning I ran out to do a few errands leaving my sleeping boyfriend in bed. When I returned two hours later, I sat down on my computer and found this. My boyfriend loves me. Ain’t love grand? Continue reading Love letters version 2008
If you’re lucky enough to have a grandma, she probably comes with grandma-isms (or nana-isms). In my case, they’re baba-isms – phrases my grandmother uses over and over. For instance, every time my Russian-speaking grandmother meets someone English speaking and I happen to be standing there, she points to me and proudly says: “She is my granddaughter number one.” You could be her surgeon or … Continue reading Believing in Life (and grandma)
Overheard in Central Park A couple, clearly very connected – physically, emotionally, intellectually are very involved in a conversation about some movie. HE: Above all else – the reason I think we’re so compatible is that you’re my intellectual equal. SHE: Yes, I agree. I mean you know stuff I don’t know and vice versa. We fill in each other’s gaps. HE: So this movie … Continue reading Intelligence Compatiblity
When I first got my Mac, I was exploring all of the applications. I thought it was a good sign when I realized that the icon for the calendar application was the date: JUL 17. And here’s why this date has permanently imprinted itself on my heart… When I was five years old I really wanted a baby sister. I had been an only child, … Continue reading Happy anniversary
I put off writing the ABOUT ME section of my blog for a long time. Partly because the Me changes so often. Partly because I don’t know how to stop once I start writing (especially about Moi). I tried to write a bio-type blurb and 5 pages of narcissistic crap came out. So I started a memoir. In the meantime I feel like I owe … Continue reading About Me … Once Upon a Time
HeartsEverywhere 