tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48600140378104231732011-09-28T16:27:59.674-04:00Musings about life in the Hudson Valley (NY) from the publisher of a regional woman's lifestyle magazine.Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.comBlogger531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-57210502645419116782011-08-22T15:59:00.006-04:002011-08-22T16:53:49.768-04:00

My son will be moving to his new place in four short days. Located about five minutes from his college campus, his house will be the semester home to my almost 18-yr-old and two other college guys. Sigh... I'm a planner by nature. Since he decided on the college he wanted to attend, I've been buying toiletries and other things he'll need for school a little at a time. Suffice to say that in late

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-80635389520683661982011-07-29T18:23:00.006-04:002011-07-29T18:38:41.202-04:00

Sounds like a soap opera title, right? Pity it is the sad state of affairs that is Capital Hill.And sad it is. What's the big deal about the raising the debt ceiling anyway? Or I guess I should ask what's the big deal about raising it NOW? As it's been done at least 15 times over the last 20 years, it floors me that this particular congress is having such a hard time sorting it all out. And while

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-62988820636464950342011-06-22T16:48:00.005-04:002011-06-22T16:54:16.842-04:00

Cap and Gown pick-up? Check!Tomorrow is the day. At least it is supposed to be. As the ceremony is scheduled for outside and it is supposed to rain all day, graduation day may actually be Friday. They will once again try for outdoors then, but, since it is supposed to rain then, too, it might be moved to the auditorium instead. We'll be nice and dry, but the powers that be only give each graduate

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-22395331769644695982011-06-08T13:16:00.004-04:002011-06-22T16:40:27.233-04:00

This is the picture I took of my son this morning - his last day of high school. Kinda teared up a bit...Tonight is his last high school performance ever. He's choreographing and performing in two dances. Pretty sure I will be bawling by the end of the second one...Kind of a bitter-sweet time, here. Part of me is happy he's graduating and moving on to bigger and better things. Part of me misses

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-48925960945757032942011-05-24T13:26:00.007-04:002011-05-24T13:46:41.510-04:00

Yesterday, my son's updated Facebook status announced that his high school graduation was exactly one month away. Between now and then, graduation photos have to be purchased, announcements need to be mailed, the class yearbook has to be picked up, prom tickets have to be bought and the class ring ordered. Of course it will all get done, but that's just the stuff that PRECEDES the big day.

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-23189671032944649262011-03-22T12:41:00.008-04:002011-03-28T11:48:59.021-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I have been studying karate for the past six years. Although I put up my dukes regularly in training and when I compete in tournaments, two weeks ago, I had my first physical confrontation ever - and it happened at my work place. Because my son's college tuition deposit to whichever institution of higher education he chooses will be due in four short months, I've

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-89711419101081020602011-02-01T14:02:00.012-05:002011-02-06T15:53:45.266-05:00

As a die-hard Rhythm & Blues/ jazz fan, it might shock you to know that I was once an avid AC/DC fan. "Back in Black" is still on my all-time favorite Top 10 list and I still know every word to the title song and "You Shook Me All Night Long." Never saw them on stage (the last non-R&B concert I went to was last August), but I kinda thought my semi-hard rocking days were behind me once I hit the

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-9634772066276685902011-01-26T14:32:00.004-05:002011-02-08T15:57:39.455-05:00

Been writing that a lot lately - mostly in response to other folks' links about Susan G. Komen for the cure (that's their official name) and their battle to trademark the "for the cure" part of their moniker. (read more about that here). Seems to me like they've totally lost focus about what the fight to eradicate breast cancer is all about.For the record, I've never been a big fan of Komen. I

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-90778160462973251892010-12-31T14:00:00.003-05:002010-12-31T14:04:13.020-05:00

It's been a crappy week. I started a new blog to help make myself feel better. Here is the entry I just posted there:My grandmother passed away this morning. She was 90, suffering from dementia and her health had declined rapidly in the last few months. She lived in a nursing home in the Bronx and when I got the call, I wrestled with whether or not I could possibly make it down to the nursing

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-40642882597752530922010-12-26T16:23:00.013-05:002010-12-26T19:15:01.740-05:00

While many are winding down from the hustle and bustle of Christmas, some of us are preparing for another holiday celebration: Kwanzaa. Although it has been appearing more and more on calendars these last few years, many people still don't quite know what the celebration is about. Kwanzaa is a cultural - not a religious - celebration started in 1966 by California State University professor Dr.

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-662307225201372732010-11-25T00:06:00.004-05:002010-11-25T00:24:56.145-05:00

It's been a while since I suited up and headed out in the pre-dawn hours on the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas shop, but in these tough economic times, saving a buck or two is uber important. I found some great info on the electronic deals on tap for Black Friday via a "Consumer Reports" blog and thought I'd share my find with you here.Happy shopping!

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-62566757495141815752010-10-31T15:26:00.006-04:002010-10-31T15:48:24.167-04:00

Not sure about you, but I'm a little afraid to turn on the TV or visit my own mailbox these days. The political ads are taking over...In the tri-state area, there are not only ads about the two gubernatorial candidates but about the US senate and various state representative races. We also have NJ and Connecticut ads, too. Almost every other TV commercial and/or piece of mail that arrives is

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-91284299766175363812010-10-21T10:21:00.008-04:002010-12-26T19:18:40.171-05:00

Remember back in October 1991, when Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas was on blast via congressional hearings for alleged sexual harassment in the workplace? One of his accusers, Anita Hill, gave some very descriptive and vivid testimony about things Thomas said and did when he was her supervisor at the U.S. Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-30067992314795157652010-08-31T09:25:00.007-04:002010-08-31T09:43:45.413-04:00

I've lived in the area for a lot of years but before this weekend, my only involvement with Bethel Woods Center for the Arts was passing the Woodstock exit on the NYS Thruway.But Saturday, I actually got off at the exit en route to a Pat Benatar and REO Speed Wagon Concert (which was great, BTW! I really, really miss the 80s!) - and OMG, what a beautiful, beautiful place! Lush, rolling hills,

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-7807868486677257622010-08-22T10:33:00.003-04:002010-08-22T12:20:41.007-04:00

Be forewarned: This is a rant. Let me preface this by adding that my child does not read this blog, so I can give details he doesn't know or need to know about.This might sound horrible, but I've been happily divorced for 10 years now. The filing process started in July 1999, but due to some lost paperwork via the Orange County Sheriff's Department (namely, proof that my ex had been served with

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-60941195866414311092010-08-20T10:45:00.005-04:002010-08-20T11:05:32.770-04:00

In the mail a few days ago was a letter addressed to both me and my son. He'll be 17 on the second day of the school year (his final year in high school), but I wasn't quite prepared for what was inside: information about scheduling an appointment for his senior portraits/graduation photos. I guess my denial should be over, but it isn't. Sure he's taken SATs, been to a few "college nights" at his

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-24354907315929248902010-07-31T08:57:00.009-04:002010-08-01T19:00:22.040-04:00

On a martial arts forum for women, an article about the body of actress Christina Hendricks (from "Mad Men") was just posted. In a nutshell, the article touted her curvacious, size 14 body as being the ideal for women around the globe. I say the author of the article and everyone quoted in it should really get a hobby as they obviously have too much time on their hands.The article features the

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-22473395417695503662010-07-02T20:25:00.013-04:002010-07-02T23:45:16.954-04:00

The current state of the economy and the idea that I will be paying tuition at some institution of higher learning or another for my child in 14 short months has forced me to find gainful employment outside of the magazine, freelancing and teaching this summer. Yes, dear friends, I'm working as a counselor at a summer camp.If you've never had the pleasure, let me tell you - it can be both one of

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-1060512683345738212010-06-24T14:18:00.005-04:002010-06-24T14:41:02.778-04:00

Ever have one of those days or a rough week? I've had that kind of month...The wheels on the bus that is my life are rolling along fine, I guess. Several of my friends, on the other hand, have had broken axles and busted rims because when the road turned left, they didn't.Sometimes, you can look down the road a piece and see a huge pothole or cliff ahead, and although you try to warn those on the

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-57555267097612376592010-06-20T14:45:00.005-04:002010-06-20T15:15:28.170-04:00

Ever been hit on by a person you have no interest in "in that way"? I'm not talking about subtle eye contact and a flirty smile - but full on "wanna get a room?" stuff a la Harry Burns to Sally Albright (Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan) in "When Harry Met Sally." It always makes me uncomfy, but I never quite know what the heck to do with it...Last weekend while playing designated driver to a tipsy

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-40269618730786215212010-06-07T17:44:00.004-04:002010-06-07T17:57:58.930-04:00

In my spare time, I teach as an adjunct at two Hudson Valley colleges. My grades for both of the classes I taught this past semester were due on May 18. Today, I got an email from the mother of one of my students asking me to change the F he earned to a D. Her argument was that the F could keep him from graduating in December and starting the job he already has lined up for the following month.

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-70332879756107117812010-06-04T18:19:00.003-04:002010-06-04T18:24:37.813-04:00

A crazy travel and teaching schedule had me busier than I would have liked this past semester - too busy to actually post new articles and calendar information for a while. But now the semester is over, summer is here and brand spankin' new content is waiting for you to read it over at tricountywoman.com.Enjoy ;-)

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-34922735335479825432010-05-03T09:24:00.007-04:002010-05-03T18:15:52.863-04:00

This is stuff I really couldn't say anywhere else as it involves my ex husband. Not that I care what HE thinks; I just don't want my son to see this and know that I, too, am thinking all the things he said aloud over the weekend.Friday night was the "one night only" production of the first of my actor/dancer son's final performances for the school year. "Dancing With the Teachers" was not only a

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-10782997502080907742010-03-15T17:21:00.003-04:002010-03-15T17:28:43.184-04:00

I guess I've stepped out of the stone ages, so to speak, as I just created a Twitter page. I'm following Venus Williams, Lance Armstrong and Ellen DeGeneres so far, along with the Library of Congress, Consumer Reports and Sesame Street (LOL). I've only tweeted about my newly broken toe (happened Saturday while sparring), but I can see how easy it will be to get totally overwhelmed by the number

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-25420344775984491932010-03-08T10:35:00.004-05:002010-03-08T13:03:29.962-05:00

Violence against women is usually ugly and senseless, but when young women are victims, it feels even uglier.Chelsea King was a senior at a San Diego-area high school who innocently went for a run at a local park after school. Amber Dubois was a 15-year-old who was last seen by her family as she left to walk to school one morning over a year ago. Neither girl ever returned home. Chelsea's body

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-78574221045670193802010-02-15T10:34:00.006-05:002010-02-15T20:26:25.197-05:00

In my mind's eye, my cousin, Courtney, will always be a little girl. She's in her late 20's now and has a daughter of her own (Skye), so I guess I should get over that...Anyway, last weekend was her daughter's 5th birthday party. You can't show up to a five-year-old's birthday party empty-handed, so after karate, I hit the stores to find the little lady a gift. Her mom said Barbie dolls were her

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-63673361686988703752010-02-12T19:21:00.003-05:002010-02-12T20:09:06.277-05:00

Ever wish you could somehow just flash forward and give your children all the information in life they'll ever need to know? I know it's not possible, but I wish it was sometimes.What prompted this latest desire? My son will have a real date this weekend. I'm talking dinner and a movie, flowers - all that. I'm wondering if it's too late for a crash refresher course in chivalry. Should I spend

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-53735803338509413942010-01-26T21:34:00.004-05:002010-01-26T21:49:49.506-05:00

Last week, a knife fight in the streets ended with one young man - Levi, a 17-year-old who used to train at my karate dojo - dead. Sadly, he was stabbed by a 13-year old.Anytime a child dies it is a tragedy, but it somehow hits a little harder when you know him or her. But because he hadn't trained with us in so long, until I found a photo from a karate promotion I'd taken three years ago with

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-3288068939924656452009-12-31T21:31:00.005-05:002010-01-01T12:21:20.663-05:00

Interesting year 2009 has been. Between the highs of the inauguration of the country's first African-American president and the lows of a global recession, there were other events that kept us from being bored. Sadly, though, even though the pundits tell us the economy is in recovery mode, I know four folks who lost their jobs this month alone. Sigh...The magazine has been through changes as well

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-62692087343787247912009-12-28T19:09:00.007-05:002009-12-28T19:29:45.000-05:00

My son informed me a week before Christmas that his holiday list was almost complete. A day later, he slid a typed sheet of paper under my bedroom door which read as follows:Christmas List 2009So, here it is. It's that time of year again. Sleigh bells ringing, ornaments jingling and we all know that gift exchange is not the true meaning of Christmas or what it's all about, but...IT'S A BIG PART

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-11064509756927905852009-12-03T12:56:00.009-05:002009-12-28T19:30:33.671-05:00

I gotta admit, I feel kinda bad for Tiger Woods these days. His personal business is totally "in the streets" right now. Not passing judgement at all, but imagine going through such a jacked-up family situation and having the whole world knowing intimate details about it almost instantly. Such is the price of celebrity, I guess. But, dang, it seems like a high price to pay.For the last three days

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-65359688723087047622009-11-12T09:22:00.006-05:002009-11-12T09:48:28.748-05:00

Last Wednesday marked my son's foray into the college search process when we attended "College Night" at the high school and got to walk through the gym and cafeteria with about 500 other students and their folks checking out the offerings of colleges and universities from all over the east coast.My son is a junior - which is good. He also knows what he wants to major and minor in, which is even

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-60747018642682995182009-10-25T17:52:00.008-04:002009-10-25T18:52:07.372-04:00

Last Sunday, my friends and family loaded up two cars and headed to The Woodbury Commons for the American Cancer Society's annual "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk. Designed to raise money for BC research, I first did the walk with my son when he was only 6. Ten years have passed (we've walked every one since) and I'm still amazed at all the people who walk the three miles in memory or

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-39185047119300408362009-10-07T14:43:00.008-04:002009-11-12T09:54:13.304-05:00

Each October, I promise myself I'm not going to get too upset by all the pink crap that is seemingly every freaking where. Tried that last year, but it didn't work (seriously - read all about it here). I remember being so upset in Walmart once - after seeing a pink Parker Pen that donated 1/10 of a percent to BC research - that I thought I was going to lose it. But eventually the month ended and

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-82996792874007959222009-09-13T11:17:00.005-04:002009-10-27T13:12:13.015-04:00

On Labor Day, my son turned 16. The next day, we traveled to the DMV so he could take his driving permit test. I honestly didn't start to hyperventilate until he asked about his first driving lesson when we got back to the car. For me, 16 was the magic number. My mom didn't drive so I had to depend on rides from other friends' moms to get to and from meetings and activities. An active teen, I

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-89329781532627284822009-08-31T19:15:00.005-04:002009-09-04T19:11:08.022-04:00

Just got back from our annual trek to Lake George. We usually do all the touristy things, like a boat ride on the lake, The Great Escape amusement park, hitting all the gift shops and specialty stores on Canada Street - but this year we tried something new: horseback riding on a trail. My trusty steed was a very gentle horse named Bella.It was my first time on a horse, although I had been around

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-10403242489741185712009-07-31T15:44:00.004-04:002009-07-31T16:05:14.171-04:00

I spent last Sunday at a Central Park concert with three of my cousins. We danced, sang, took pictures and generally had a wonderful time - the kind of fun that makes you say "We need to do this again SOON!" But the best part of the day was undoubtedly the spirited and brutally honest conversation we had in the car on the way down to NYC and at the restaurant after the concert was done. Guess

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-16371951185748825852009-07-25T17:12:00.008-04:002010-09-24T17:00:48.444-04:00

Meet K, our new puppy. He is a now four-month-old Lab/German Shepherd mix that hubby-to-be (H2B) brought home from North Carolina after a track meet. I didn't want a dog at all, but H2B really, really did. I compromised and only asked for one thing in return: a small adult dog (a shitzu would have been nice). What I got was K. Please don't tell me how cute he is...Two reasons I didn't want a dog:

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-87510575455257086022009-05-23T09:16:00.002-04:002009-05-23T18:27:21.521-04:00

According to the US Department of Justice, almost 2.25 million women were victims of violent crimes like robbery, sexual assault and rape in 2005. The DOJ also says that about 100 American women per hour are assaulted by someone they know. Because there are too many women being victimized, I've been toying with the idea of becoming certified to teach women's self-defense for quite a while. But

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-36149323068320236362009-04-14T08:38:00.005-04:002009-04-14T09:18:44.989-04:00

A few nights ago, my son and I stopped at a local Dunkin' Donuts so he could get his new favorite snack, a cinnamon raisin bagel with strawberry cream cheese. He didn't realize until we'd gotten home that the bagel had regular cream cheese. To erase the look of utter sadness and dejection that had covered his face, I told him we'd take it back. I didn't go back into the store with him, but knew

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-66011468665507826102009-03-20T19:37:00.008-04:002009-03-21T16:23:39.535-04:00

I think my hair is about 50 percent grey. I say "I think" because I never let the grey do its thing as I dye it so often. Trouble now is that the grey is lots more stubborn than it used to be and I find myself having to touch it up more than ever before. It seems like three weeks is as long as I can go before the temples and edges start sprouting little white wiry hairs. It's exhausting to have

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-20313491883337803482009-03-09T17:09:00.007-04:002009-03-10T15:40:23.836-04:00

Every music fan in the world has heard about singers Rihanna and Chris Brown: squeaky-clean R&B star accused of using his girlfriend as a punching bag. People were shocked to see the photo that showed Rihanna's bruised face and just as surprised when court documents revealed that he allegedly threatened to kill her on Grammy night. Personally, I was more shocked at how she was characterized via

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-19494721151829681682009-03-03T11:30:00.006-05:002009-03-03T11:57:48.661-05:00

I try to visit my grandmother at least once a month in the Bronx nursing home where she's now been for two years since being diagnosed with dementia. I know the nursing staff, they know me and someone always has some (usually) funny story to tell me about Grandma's exploits when I arrive.But last Sunday was different. Two of my aunts, my son and I arrived only to find that she had been moved to

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-13255696556598285402009-02-27T12:45:00.013-05:002009-02-27T13:29:07.212-05:00

OK - squeamish, I'm not. Blood and gore barely make me flinch (I once watched a 12-hour marathon of "The Operation" after all), but for some reason, groups of bugs have always freaked me out. I can deal with a ladybug or two, but I would probably faint upon discovering a bunch of them moving along a wall or something. I actually showered for over an hour not too long ago when a brick I moved from

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-64169921244709544742009-01-08T23:41:00.007-05:002009-01-09T00:11:03.018-05:00

I'm happily divorced (might sound terrible, but it is oh-so-true) and have been since my son was six. Although it has stopped and started more than once and the amount has decreased by about 70% since it began, the child support my ex is required to send to help care for our child has been regular and consistent for about three years now. Until today, that is.My ex's obligation is $150 per month.

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-5758487952342103072008-12-21T16:07:00.009-05:002008-12-29T18:52:41.370-05:00

This morning, I got a call about one of the members of our church who recently died. He actually passed away on Thursday but no one from the church knew until Sunday morning.Mr. Webb was 90-years-old. He sang a solo virtually every Sunday and was the only male that consistently lent his strong baritone to the choir. Although his family mostly lived in New York City, he lived in Beacon and

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-62357033485753942572008-11-21T10:53:00.004-05:002008-11-21T11:03:49.468-05:00

While waiting in the chiropractor's office to have him work his magic on my aching back, I thumbed through a health magazine. On the last page was a reader-written essay about the first time something new was attempted for better health. At the end was an invitation for other readers to send in their 400-word "first time" pieces. So I sent in this:Kiai!: How Donning a Karate Gi Rejuvenated Meby

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-51243224991969371552008-11-08T14:04:00.012-05:002009-02-27T12:44:55.452-05:00

With all the excitement over the election, I truly forgot to toss some confetti when November 1st - the date that marks the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month - rolled around.What's so bad about the pink ribbons, you ask? Nothing would be if awareness were truly the goal or if it was all that we needed (in reality, a cure would be nice). Sadly though, the pink that is seemingly everywhere from

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-12568466874049951542008-11-03T19:27:00.008-05:002008-11-11T16:45:04.845-05:00

After almost two years of campaign stumping and speeches, Election Day is finally almost here. Wow...New York is not one of the states that has early voting, so like everyone else in the Empire State, I'll head to the polls tomorrow hoping the lines aren't too crazy. As many are predicting the largest voter turnout in US History and some have waited on line for hours to vote early, I'm bringing a

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-27191905919264575132008-11-02T22:13:00.004-05:002008-11-02T22:41:10.910-05:00

My grandmother will be 88 next month. She's spent the last 18 months in a nursing home in the Bronx after being diagnosed with dementia. Fiercely independent, she'd lived alone in the same a one-bedroom apartment in Harlem for over 50 years. Last week, I got a call from her doctor that she'd fallen out of bed and broken her forearm. She had to be taken to a nearby hospital for x-rays and returned

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-27922802670159446322008-11-01T16:18:00.004-04:002008-11-01T16:36:43.226-04:00

I have an IRA and I'm a bit worried. I also have some funds for my kid's college squirreled away and I'm terrified he may have to live at home until he finishes his master's degree.Thankfully, retirement is about 30 years away for me (who would have ever thought I'd be writing a sentence like that?!), but unfortunately, in three short years, my son will be a freshman in someone's institution of

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-64392203077354254072008-10-24T15:22:00.003-04:002008-10-24T15:36:06.828-04:00

Even though the temperature here in the good old Northeast has taken a bit of a dive (it was 27 degrees when my son left for school this morning), the political scene has certainly heated things up. Whether you are an Obama-kin or McCain's your guy, it's hard not to turn on the television without seeing an ad for either of the presidential candidates or commentary from the bevy of news shows on

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4860014037810423173.post-4654349898131397612008-10-08T14:46:00.001-04:002008-10-24T15:22:12.223-04:00

Although gas prices are starting to come down, $3.40 is only CHEAPER - not CHEAP - especially in a tough economy. To save a little more of my hard-earned bucks, I've decided to buy a motorcycle. Having done my research on engine size and the like, I headed out to see a man about a bike.I popped into the Kawasaki dealer on Rte. 32 in New Windsor one afternoon. I saw rows of beautiful, big bikes,

Feliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017194727231120284noreply@blogger.com0