Category: Ramblings

Not a Bore in ’24

So last year, I set a personal best with reading (also listening)… 21 books. Damn. And  I started a Master’s program. Not gonna lie… doubful 21 gonna happen this year. Anyway, here we go: March The City We Became In the Time of the Butterflies February Ready Player One The Words That Remain Real Life […]

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

This was used by a beloved undergrad professor of mine at UMass. It’s a fun parable on leadership, lessons from which I think of often. This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. […]

Alma Mater: From Fitchburg to Amherst

Ken (FHS ’67 and UMass ’73) and Keith (FHS ’93 and UMass ’98) As time goes by things that at once seemed distant, or perhaps perfunctory, claim an ever-bigger focus in one’s life. There are many reasons for this… principally life… but the death of a parent certainly can shape perspectives some.

I’m a Tau Beta Sigma sister!

  The Delta Delta chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, the national honorary band sorority at UMass, honored me as one of their own yesterday. The honor was actually mine, having been inducted along with the 11 ladies of the Gamma Lambda class and also with my fellow honorees. And my deepest thanks go to my “Big […]

Dad and Elvis

January 8th. That’s one big birthday. My dad and Elvis. Fitting that Elvis was one of dad’s favorites Anyway, Happy Birthday Dad. A bunch of the extended family gathered at The Knoll today to celebrate and remember you. We laughed and we ate Chinese food and Boston Creme Pie. I hope you smiled. For those […]

413-545-1451

So it appears a lot of you are Googling this phone number and landing on this site. How do I know? I mentioned it in a post a while back about the importance of giving back to your alma mater.

I Shit You Not

Have you ever browsed thru old email? If you’re like me, you keep your inbox somewhat current, so lots of good material gets lost in the ether. Take some time to browse thru your sent box. It’s funny to see what you find. I witnessed this my second day of work at EMC. It’s an […]

He is the Pan

Even as the campus on Saturday celebrated the life and legacy of professor George N. Parks, who led the Minuteman Marching Band to national prominence during his 33-year tenure, it was clear that his influence will continue to be felt just as his death will continue to mourned far beyond the campus itself. I was […]

I don’t have time to use this

Each day since we all learned the sad news of George Parks’s death, I’ve been overcome by all the memories, stories and testimonials to our friend George. Facebook truly brought our family together as we celebrate and mourn.

K’s Anatomy

Who doesn’t love having surgery (without the silly drama)? I had a really good experience with my first surgery since little-kid tonsillitis. I opted to use a surgeon out of Cooley-Dickenson Hospital in Northampton where they have a spankin-new surgery wing donated by the man who founded Yankee Candle. It was nice. The whole experience.

Wu Xing Gallbladder

No, I’m not ordering any really exotic dinner. This being the Year of the Tiger, includes my birthday. Out of curiosity, and forgetting much of what I learned in a college Chinese mythology course, I checked Wikipedia for details. But I did remember that I am a tiger, more specifically a Wood Tiger, but not […]

Do you support your alma mater?

NOTE: This was written originally as an opinion column for a UMass alumni newsletter. For time immemorial or so it seems, UMass Amherst (nee UMass) has struggled with its alumni outreach. I think a lot of that has to do with a long-standing patriarchical view the campus and its inhabitants have toward Beacon Hill. We want Boston […]

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