Recently, I cruised the Caribbean, my first time there. For my wife, who hails from a Caribbean country, it was her first trip back to the region in 40 years. Although hurricane season had officially started, it was early enough that we had beautiful, sunny weather the entire week. I really needed the break from […]
49. The Greater Good
I have been thinking a lot about duty lately. In a few hours it will be Memorial Day here in the U.S. It is a day for commemorating those who died while serving in the armed forces. People who join the military know about duty and about serving the greater good. And they often carry […]
48. Health Scare: Selfishness and Duty
Like many people, I detest going to the doctor. Growing up in Italy, where medical care is a right and affordable, I would run into our local doctor at a grocery store or on the street, and he would say “Why don’t you grace my office with your presence sometime.” I saw no need to […]
47. Starry Eyed
Hey, there, everybody. I was telling my husband Anton about some fun things from my past when he said that I should include them in a post. So, here goes. What follows is shameless name-dropping. A few months ago, I was sad to learn that Dame Diana Rigg had passed away. She became one of […]
46. When Bad Acts Are Not Punished
2019 saw the publication of the results of a study about children’s attitudes toward punishing bad behavior. The study found that a majority of the participants – who ranged from 3 to 6 years of age – were willing to punish “bad actors” even at their own expense and even if they were not harmed […]
45. Who Will Care for Me When I’m Frail?
I have been away from this project for quite some time, taking care of personal matters. Plus, with the raging pandemic and the heavy monotony of life, it’s been hard to feel inspired by anything. Then I heard that a famous ballet guy said something along the lines that “you can’t wait for inspiration to […]
44. Misunderstood
Lately, there have been many celebrities and politicians who blurt or tap out stupid things that they must walk back after a public outcry. Almost always they claim to have been “misunderstood.” Let me tell you, no one knows about being misunderstood better than people with disabilities. I find that people who consider themselves “normal” […]
43. When Family Drama Becomes Public Trauma
We are all influenced and shaped by our families, who are the people that as children we interact with the most. As we grow up, we often absorb and adopt some of the attitudes, views, and behaviors of our parents, our siblings, and other family members. I’m no psychologist, so my ideas on this are […]
42. Haunted
The small, single-level, shotgun-style house was typical in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. It was freshly painted and well-maintained. Its new occupants planted flowers by the front steps and in the back yard. They looked forward to starting a vegetable garden out back, a luxury after years of living in apartments. But, inside the […]
41. From the Jaws of Death
In action films and television shows, characters often narrowly escape death through clever maneuvers, split-second decisions, and amazing timing. In real, ordinary life, how often do each of us come within the reach of death’s icy fingers? And are we still alive because of good luck, coincidence, or miracle? Those questions came up recently as […]
ANTON CIRCLES HIS WORLD 