I’ve got a few business trips coming up, and I’m thinking back to the days when the friendly skies really were. I’m a pilot’s daughter, so we used to fly a lot, back when flying was glamorous. People dressed up, in skirts, dresses, suits and ties. Back then flight attendants were called “stewardesses” and they were pretty glamorous, too. Continue reading “LaughLines: Friendly Skies?” »

My brother just got divorced after 25 years of marriage, and my mother is a wreck.

She didn’t cause the divorce, of course, and along with the rest of us, she’s sad that a quarter-century of wedded bliss (sort of) has pretty much gone down the tubes. Ma has even accepted the fact that one of her very Catholic children (sort of) has entered the heretofore uncharted “Land of the Big D.” Continue reading “LaughLines: Life in the Land of Big D” »

I’m a twin, and while I love my sister Deborah very much — she’s the older twin, by the way – being a “multiple” comes with its own share of problems, the least of which are the “twin questions.”

Are you really identical?

I can’t claim that our moles and freckles are all in the exact same locations but, yes, we’re genetically identical. Same sets of chromosomes. For the medically informed, that means one egg, one sperm. Continue reading “LaughLines: Double Trouble: My Twin, My Self” »

There are two kinds of people: those who see a movie once, and those who don’t.

I’m a multiple viewer, a serial movie-lover who can see some movies 2, 3, 6, 9, 12 times. I know every line of dialogue, every note of the music soundtrack. I memorize the background, the license plates of passing cars. I can tell you how many sugars the leading man takes in his coffee, and the color of the leading lady’s nail polish. Continue reading “LAUGHLINES: When It Comes to Movies, Once Is Not Enough” »

White lights? Multi-colored? Single-color? The Great Holiday Décor Debate heats up in our house right after Thanksgiving.

Yup, we’re in for the usual knock-down, drag-out about this year’s holiday decorations.

I’ll soon be running down to the basement closets to check out the Christmas décor. Those lights, garlands and tinsel sure stir some wonderful memories. Okay, I admit some of the stuff doesn’t ring a jingle bell — Continue reading “LaughLines: Time to Light Up! Holiday Decorating 101” »

This past weekend, the power went out (again) at our house, which meant firing up the generator and firing up everyone’s tempers.

It’s hard to be in a good mood when you’re restricted to one room with heat, and have to share said room with one husband (who alternated between surly and horny, don’t ask me why), two teenagers (they were just surly) and three dogs (they put on the most positive front during our ordeal, by the way). Continue reading “LAUGHLINES: Power to the People – Please!” »

The weather’s been awful this winter, and we’ve seen lots of news reports of stranded travelers at airports, sleeping on floors and benches.

I can relate, since I’ve slept in some very odd spots over the years.

When I was in college, I slept in a few cars. Not sure if this is a rite of passage, but when you’re a student on a road trip, you can’t afford a suite at the Marriott. Continue reading “LaughLines: How to Sleep (Almost) Anywhere” »

As I sat in the airport the other day, I killed time by making a list of things I just don’t get:

I don’t get allowing dogs in ‘people’ stores. I saw a guy in New York City stroll into a GAP with his leashed dog and no one batted an eye. I love dogs, but I go shopping to escape the constant panting and poop clean-up. Is there no safe haven? Continue reading “LAUGHLINES: Things I Just Don’t Get” »