Do you remember when you were little and people would ask “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was 5 years old someone asked me that question and there was only one answer. BATMAN. Watching cartoons, I’d learned about Batman. He’s the secret identity of Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child and swore revenge on criminals. His vengeance is tempered with the great ideal of justice. I was captivated.Read more
Posts filed in: Personal
BLOGGING FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION: ONE YEAR LATER
One year ago today I got a phone call no one should ever receive. I’d lost a close friend to suicide. I assisted her family by taking over her legal practice and obligations, attended the informal memorial service put on by her friends, because her family couldn’t bring themselves to have one, and learned more about her end days. She’d kept her friends separate, like corn silos in a field, so her death came as a surprise. But it shouldn’tRead more
Cabin in the Woods 2015
Once upon a time there was a cabin built on a pine tree-dotted mountain in Northeastern Arizona. At first, it was a simple A-frame used as a summer home, a respite from the heat of a California desert residence. When my parents retired there, some rooms were added, one filled with windows to let in the sun. It provided a peaceful place to watch birds enjoy the plentiful food provided year round. There was a deck with a porch swingRead more
WHY I WRITE
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Hey! Get away from my keyboard! So rude. I hate it when other people’s characters sneak into my head when I’m writing. *puts out Do Not Disturb sign* I blame it on all the books I’ve read and the movies I’ve watched. The authors who created places, people and fantasticalRead more
My Lessons about Suicide Survival and Support
My last post dealt with the suicide of a dear friend and colleague. It’s been over a month, but my questioning and self-reflection hasn’t ended. The one abiding question for me remains: What can I do to stop this from happening? Unfortunately, this is a question many of us will need to ask ourselves. Suicide rates have risen in the U.S. and make it the 10th leading cause of death. In the news this past week was the story ofRead more
Blogging for Suicide Prevention:Ode to a Friend
Four days ago I answered my phone and was greeted by the sound of weeping. The call was to notify me a friend and attorney colleague had died by suicide, and I was being contacted because she’d left a note for me to take over her cases. I’ve never lost anyone to suicide. Death isn’t a stranger, taking both my parents in 2010 within four months of each other, and many others over the years. Yet, the news of myRead more
The Hobbit: The Battle of Peter Jackson’s Ego
Spoiler Alert: Please don’t read any further if you haven’t seen The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. That’s it. I warned you. Yesterday I went to see the final installment of The Hobbit saga with a crowd of moviegoers who were either unsure what to do on Christmas or who wanted an excuse not to have to talk to their relatives for 2 hours and 24 minutes. I wondered if J.R.R. Tolkien would be happy that Peter Jackson hadRead more
