Spotlight: Clara Bow

"The more I see of men, the more I like dogs." Clara Bow Spotlight: Clara Bow Clara Bow was the IT girl because she was in a movie called It. Since then we still talk about "it" girls in every generation. Sexy, charismatic, fun and often fierce; that is what an It Girl is. She … Continue reading Spotlight: Clara Bow →

Spotlight: Anne McCaffrey

"I have a shelf of comfort books, which I read when the world closes in on me or something untoward happens." Anne McCaffrey Spotlight: Anne McCaffrey In 1976 a friend came over to the house and gave me a book called Dragonrider. He said, "I think you will like this". My mom picked up the … Continue reading Spotlight: Anne McCaffrey →

Spotlight: Dorothy Kilgallen

"I actually turned down an opportunity for a private interview with Adolph Hitler." Dorothy Kilgallen Spotlight: Dorothy Kilgallen About ten years ago, Game Show Network began offering reruns of What's My Line? very late at night. This is an old show that ran from 1950 to 1967. It may have been the greatest game show … Continue reading Spotlight: Dorothy Kilgallen →

Spotlight: Loie Fuller

"Of all the wonders that the world had to offer, only art promised immortality." Sergei Diaghilev Spotlight: Loie Fuller If you were to take a Modern Dance History class, the teacher would show you a "tree". This tree is made up of branches and shows how each dancer or choreographer is connected to the next … Continue reading Spotlight: Loie Fuller →

Spotlight: Tallulah Bankhead

"If you want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, dahling -- be an audience." Tallulah Bankhead Spotlight: Tallulah Bankhead If feels that, today, Tallulah Bankhead is mostly forgotten. Yet she was one of the greatest actresses of our time. She had so many facets to her career and life that sometimes we … Continue reading Spotlight: Tallulah Bankhead →

Jane in Aisle Eight

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional." Chili Davis Jane in Aisle Eight John Prine, the great song writer, has a song called Hello In There. It is a mostly sad song about growing old. At the end of the song, he encourages you, listener, to go on over and say hello in there … Continue reading Jane in Aisle Eight →

Dreaming Lee Israel

(On seeing a former lover for the first time in years) "I thought I told you to wait in the car." Tallulah Bankhead Dreaming Lee Israel I watched the terrific movie Can You Ever Forgive Me? starring the terrific Melissa McCarthy with my sister. The character is a nasty drunk who is a writer. It … Continue reading Dreaming Lee Israel →

The Torture of Writing

"I hate writing. I love having written." Dorothy Parker The Torture of Writing Dorothy Parker said that she couldn't write five words without changing seven. Writing as a process is a tough one because you want to get your message out there but you have to find the right words. Lord have mercy, there are … Continue reading The Torture of Writing →

The Facts of Aging

"If someone can watch an entire season of a TV series in one day, doesn't that show an incredible attention span?" Kevin Spacey The Facts of Aging I'm getting old. There was a bit of a panic or anxiety that I'm loaded with a ton of information that won't be passed along. Maybe I should … Continue reading The Facts of Aging →

I Voted

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." Franklin D. Roosevelt I Voted Like a good senior citizen, I voted early. Civic duty and all that. It felt good. Mess with health care and … Continue reading I Voted →