by marionroach on February 28, 2010
THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY will bring the Full Snow Moon, rising at the eleventh hour and 38th minute of the day. As with all full moons, the name comes from the Native American tradition. This name is fairly self-explanatory, though among some Native American people, February’s full moon was known as the Full Hunger Moon since winter conditions can make hunting very difficult. How do I know this? I write and record the daily almanac piece entitled The Naturalist’s Datebook, heard exclusively on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112/XM 157. Listen up. And see my other TSP almanac pieces here, including a recent piece on how I change my diet at the full moon, as well as at the new moon, each month.
by marionroach on February 22, 2010
I WAS ON AMERICAN IDOL. Did you know? Did you catch me? No? Well, I recorded it for you. I think you’ll be really proud of me, sisters. It went really, really well, like this:
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by marionroach on February 18, 2010
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY purchased Aristotle, you might like…” Thus began a recent email from Amazon.com. I’m thinking of printing it out and pinning it to my dress to wear while I watch The Simpsons, the combo of the two influences really kind of summing me up. Or does it? I’m not sure. Who am I, again? (Singalong now: “Who are you? Who, who, who who?”) Shall I ask Google, or ? [click to continue…]
by marionroach on February 5, 2010
DANCING ON TABLETOPS? And why not? On February 5, 1959 Marilyn Monroe, Karen Blixen, and Carson McCullers had lunch. Oh yeah, Arthur Miller was there, too. Taking place in Nyack, New York, the event was hosted by McCullers in honor of the great Karen Blixen, whose pen name, of course, is Isak Dinesen (Out of Africa). The menu consisted of soufflé, oysters, grapes and champagne. After lunch there was dancing. On the table top. On the solid marble table top, to be specific. Or so I’ve read. And I love every word.
by marionroach on January 21, 2010
THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS no husband or partner should ask a woman, and both begin with “How many?” Both inquiries are gasoline on the fire that is a woman’s soul, and while neither question should ever be either asked or answered, I’m sure you’ll agree on which of the two is far more deeply private, far more tied up in secrecy, and way more important to the ongoing health of any relationship. That’s right, sister: it’s the question that ends in the word “shoes.” [click to continue…]
by marionroach on January 20, 2010
NO MORE WRITING EXERCISES. Have any of those stupid prompts or morning pages ever gotten you published? Has writing from the right side of your brain, or getting in touch with your angel’s feather, or scribbling pages put you where you want to be as a writer? I doubt it. I suspect that those manners of nonsense have instead stolen what little time you had for writing. How do I know? Because the memoir class I’ve taught for 12 years is filled with people recovering from those very exercises, people whose sole relationship to writing was practicing, not writing for real. Right now, I’m running two Master Classes consisting of a total of 24 people who have made the New Year commitment to finish their books by the end of June 2010. They are writing for real. Want to join the wave of success? [click to continue…]
by marionroach on January 15, 2010
BOOT CAMP: NOT A PHRASE that previously would have caught my eye, but after reviewing our finances, and my butt, I realized that while personal training was no longer an option, something must be done to continue the healthy workout routine I’d adopted. What I never expected was to discover a brand new sisterhood in the bargain.
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by marionroach on January 6, 2010
SOMETIMES I’M SIMPLY TOO PISSED OFF to keep it to myself. What always happens when this happens is I tell my sister first, and since these days I have so very many sisters to tell, I’ll tell you, too. This being-too-pissed-off-to-keep-quiet thing doesn’t happen often. But it happened today, and as of today my habits will change, and never again will I enter an H&M clothing store. Here’s why.
by marionroach on January 5, 2010
THE DOGS LIVES ON. Now, two months after his harrowing and lengthy hospital stay, Otter is still alive. And he appears to be well. His blood-test numbers fluctuate a bit, giving me a scare here and there, but to see him is to know that he is much better. And while the doctors agree, they also agree that he is still sick, and must stay on a special diet, designed to not stress his greatly weakened kidneys. Which would be fine, except that he is also allergic to everything. And so we consulted a nutritionist.
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THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY will bring the Full Snow Moon, rising at the eleventh hour and 38th minute of the day. As with all full moons, the name comes from the Native American tradition. This name is fairly self-explanatory, though among some Native American people, February’s full moon was known as the Full Hunger Moon since winter conditions can make hunting very difficult. How do I know this? I write and record the daily almanac piece entitled The Naturalist’s Datebook, heard exclusively on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112/XM 157. Listen up. And see my other TSP almanac pieces here, including a recent piece on how I change my diet at the full moon, as well as at the new moon, each month.
First time here? Here's the idea: 
No surprise, really, that sisterhood, often life’s longest relationship and always one of its most important, has been the Muse for so much creative self-expression by women, and also by men. 
As the suffix of its name suggests, 
