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Simplify your life. Just love everyone. Even if you’re a bigot.

I love this sentiment. Even as a reluctant atheist, I love it. Not only would it make the world a much kinder place, but if you believe that Jesus was the Son of God (or even just a solid guy), the message on this church sign also adheres to one of his clearest and most…

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When is complaining acceptable?

First, a fact: People do not like to listen to other people complain. This seems like a fairly obvious statement, yet I hear people complaining constantly. I try not to complain. I aggressively try not to complain. I am a bit of a complain-avoidance machine. Part of it is an awareness of how complaints are generally…

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My less-than-private, not-so-well-appointed office

The New York Times ran a piece a few years ago that featured 25 “writers’ rooms.” Spaces where writers did their work. Here are a few: That same year, The Hartford Courant did a feature on me that included my writing space, which was and still is the end of the dining room table.  Not…

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We adopted two cats. Our kids’ reaction was… unexpected.

Last summer, our beloved cat, Owen, passed away. We lost Owen’s brother, Jack, about eight years previously.   It was a difficult loss for our family. A couple months after Owen’s passing, the kids began asking for a new cat. I wasn’t ready yet, and Elysha had sworn repeatedly – to anyone who would listen…

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Meals on Wheels: My grandparents (and science) understand the importance for this program

My grandparents – my mémère and pépère – delivered Meals on Wheels to senior citizens for years. I once asked Pépère to explain Meals on Wheels to me. He said that he was visiting seniors. Saying hello, bringing them food, and making sure they didn’t need anything else.   “It’s hard to get old,” he…

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A bunch of white men apparently too stupid to realize that they are all white men.

Earlier in the week, I wrote about my belief that the country would be in better hands if more women were in charge. Perfect example: This is the photograph of the yesterday’s healthcare negotiations between Mike Pence and the Freedom Caucus, where attempts were made to negotiate away birth control, maternity care, abortion from the…

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Famous people who I’ve met thanks to storytelling

Louis CK: I said hello to him at The Moth Ball, an annual fundraiser for The Moth. He was the guest of honor that night. He nodded in my general direction.  David Blaine: I met David Blaine at The Moth Ball. I told a two minute version of my GrandSLAM winning story, which Blaine later…

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