The moonwalk, my father and me

§ August 13th, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § 9 Comments

I seem to be censoring myself, afraid to reveal more than I have.

I am trying to write a story about the night man first landed on the moon and the day of the moonwalk. It’s simple: It was my ninteenth birthday and my parents insisted I come home for the weekend.

Instead of watching with my father as I did for all historic events from the Kennedy assassination to Jack Paar crying (don’t ask–he woke me up and told me this was history) I paced back and forth. Company was supposed to come and they hadn’t arrived yet.

“What’s wrong with you?” My father asked that crazed but somehow blank look in his eyes. On our recent family vacation he had grown a mustache. His hair was too long for a Republican.

“You used to care so much. You were so passionate about everything. Every cause was yours. I don’t care, Pia, what you are are crazed about. You don’t have to have my politics. I will take anarchy, the SDS, anything. Just care.

My father looked as if he was going to have a heart attack any second as he continued. The horrible thing was inside I knew he was right but you can’t let father’s win arguments like that. I’m trying to remember what I said. It was clever. Not really.

Our relationship had been tension filled since I was sixteen and became “cute.” The moonwalk fight made it much worse. It wouldn’t really get back to what it had been until I was 25 and moved to an apartment he picked in Manhattan.

I have been thinking of this a lot lately as it was my birthday. Then the pictures of Mars.

So amazing. I wish I could share them with my father.

I no longer live in an apartment and went out to watch the meteor shower last night. Unfortunately there was a huge cloud cover and staying up until three AM was for naught and of course I feel useless today.

Courting will be eight years old on August 14th 2012. It’s amazing this blog–changed my life in too many ways to count. Though I think I was a better writer originally. Especially before anybody began reading this blog. I didn’t realize people made money from “personal” blogs in the beginning. Then I was all about “blogging purity.” Fool.  I used to call Courting “proudly money losing.”

I mostly blog for Psychology Today now. I know? Where’s the book? I have to take more fragments like the above and make them into stories. If you’re one of the people who have stayed with me through thick and thin I thank you and love you. Especially Doug, Cooper, Patrick, Bone and Sag. I’m a chick writer for the male blogger. Entirely new genre I have to myself!

§ August 3rd, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § 3 Comments

I’m actually going to put a real post into Courting soon. She will be eight on August 14th. Like any going into third grader she wants attention and to be bragged about.

Meanwhile here’s an interview with Mysti Harrison who has an incredible daughter with NLD and Turner’s. I asked a few questions and knew that the answers would be amazing.

Remember when I used to conduct interview with other people and myself? I did the interviews with myself because I knew I could ask the best questions and answer them well, too!!!!!

§ July 2nd, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § No Comments

My newest psychology today post!

Lucia and Pia can’t even walk down a street without getting into trouble. Well one of us!

§ May 1st, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § 4 Comments

It was a hot June night. Not hot as in oppressive, I want to die weather like today, but hot enough. In New York, the hottest part of the day is always dusk when the heat’s had time to settle on the cement, and the buildings seem to ooze both heat and drops of hot water from the air conditioners. The steam rises both from the street, and subway gratings, and it can feel as if you’re trapped in a manhole cover or a pot of not quite boiling water. One thing you learn in New York early and never forget: heat rises.

I was wearing a blue with little pink and yellow flowers bustier dress; the skirt flowed like a Marilyn dress. Here comes the big confession: sometimes when I would a dress like that I wouldn’t wear underwear; go commando as it’s called now. But, and this is a big but, I had a two piece bathing suit that almost exactly matched the dress; only the flowers were a bit larger. That morning in a burst of clothing creativity, I decided to wear the bottom as underwear. To make the dress work appropriate I had worn a blue silk fitted jacket that I had left at the studio.

Noel was walking to my right, and Lucia to my right. The subway grating was right underneath me. The fire station bells began ringing as it did whenever notable people passed it. I couldn’t understand why suddenly Lucia and Noel were trying to tame my dress that was whirling with the blast of hot air from the subway. Their faces had turned bright red, and not from the heat.

Something made me turn around, and face three very well dressed men who were trying not to smile. Two of the men were young, very good looking; “bodyguards,” I thought before my brain had time to register exactly who they were guarding. Or maybe I really didn’t want to realize this. I thought of something clever to say, but before I could say it I began laughing. Real laughter; not girly giggles or shameful bursts of restrained laughter that turns into coughing fits. I knew that as long as I lived I would never forget this meeting. But I just couldn’t stop laughing; the six of us were standing on Lafayette Street, laughing until tears came.

And that’s how I met the man for whom the bells were tolling; the boss of bosses himself, John Gotti, shortly before he went to prison.
If Lucia comments, and she will, do not believe her version. I wasn’t just wearing underpants, I was wearing a shield of armor, a belly covering bathing suit bottom.

No I don’t approve of him or anything he did. Just getting that out of the way. But it’s a hell of a story.

Newest Girl

§ March 29th, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § 10 Comments

When I began this blog my niece was ten and not the most mature ten.

Now she’s an incredibly mature seventeen year old who has to make her first major life decision: Barnard or Tufts?

I think I know what the answer will be but both sound great to me. I’m so so so proud!

She’s so Zooey!

My forgotten blog proudly still supports Planned Parenthood

§ February 3rd, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized Comments Off

I haven’t even been putting in links to my Psychology Today posts
The top one is probably my best! This is my newest

Though Susan G Komen retracted its very political and very wrong decision this blogger will be sending money to Planned Parenthood. I think I have a story in the archives somewhere about being eighteen and needing to find out if I was pregnant or not. If not I will hopefully write it this weekend

Planned Parenthood was there as it was there for exams and questions I didn’t want to ask my mother. I do wish Planned Parenthood offered mammograms as many insurance companies still don’t cover them and so many people are without any health insurance. You shouldn’t have to risk bankruptcy if you get sick before 2014. My insurance covers so little it scares me yet is almost $500 a month–older and pre-existing conditions.

This is an incredible and incredibly flawed country that panders to the right. This week we showed the power of Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. It was amazing to look at my Facebook wall and see almost all statuses in support of Planned Parenthood.

§ January 11th, 2012 § Filed under Uncategorized § No Comments

My newest and favorite post for Psychology Today

My last post of the year for Psychology Today

§ December 19th, 2011 § Filed under Uncategorized Comments Off

Here it is