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When Someone Dies
I’ll keep this post short and sweet because it’s Friday as well as Father’s Day weekend, and I don’t want to be glum or morose, but… The other day, a former student of mine passed away in an unfortunate car accident. She graduated in December. Those who knew her are saddened by her death, especially at the young age of 22. When someone passes at that age, it’s unexpected, and we have to come to terms with a loss like that. And while that in itself is difficult to grasp, it is no less sad when someone older dies. No matter what age, when we love and care about someone,…
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Drugs & The Price of Fame: A Commentary
Scores of super-talented people who work in the entertainment industry are plagued with demons…those primarily of drugs and alcohol. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death is yet another loss of a talented actor in the prime of his life and at the top of his game with an Oscar behind his belt and top directors seeking him out. One would imagine that finally reaching this pinnacle, this apex of stardom, would be invigorating, a moment so full satisfaction that all one can do is smile and dance a jig, not end in a moment of tragedy. But, unfortunately, this is not true for many people who have become part of the limelight.…
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Cry If You Want To
Yesterday’s explosions in Boston sent me into a tailspin. I remembered that feeling of sheer panic as we wondered where our loved ones were in New York on that fateful day in September of 2001. Nothing rocks your world like helplessness and uncertainty. And to our utter dismay, heartbreak, and true disbelief, my husband lost his first cousin in the Trade Centers that morning. The first call I made yesterday was to Jenny to see if her husband was okay. He works in Boston three to four days a week, and thankfully, he was tucked in his house here in Maryland. The second call I made was to my friend,…
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Discussing The Newtown Tragedy With My Children
Before I begin, I must apologize in advance. Those of you who normally read my blog for happy, go-lucky stories, will not find one here today. It breaks The Scribe’s heart to have to discuss this story, but I feel I must. Out of respect for the families who have lost a loved one, no photographs accompany it. And so… * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *…
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Best Part About “Anna Karenina”? The Costumes
“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.” ~ Leo Tolstoy This week, I went with my dear friend Diana to see “Anna Karenina.” It’s one of her favorite books by Leo Tolstoy. Admittedly, I’ve never read the book, though Tolstoy’s gift as a writer is something I should probably examine at some point. Nevertheless, I am a huge fan of films, particularly period pieces. I’m also a fan of Joe Wright, who directed the film, and had previously directed Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightly in the 2005 version of “Pride and Prejudice,” a particular favorite. In “Anna Karenina,” Macfadyen and Knightly play brother and sister, she…
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Ellicott City Train Accident Is A Tragedy
Those of us who live in Ellicott City are saddened by the loss of two young, local girls, both 19 and in college, who lost their lives at 12:02 a.m. Tuesday morning when a train derailed in the heart of our picturesque town. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what a tragedy this is and how—and if—it could have been avoided. This story has captured the attention of both national and international news media. Apparently, the two girls were tweeting from the bridge as they sat on top of it—the railroad bridge at the bottom of the hill that says “Ellicott City” near the B&O Museum—and had been…
