Momseasychair

by Sal Kibler

At birth I was given a very feminine southern name – Martha Grace. Martha for my favorite Aunt, and Grace for the paternal grandmother I never knew. But somehow that name never stuck – and except when addressed by insurance companies, large lecture hall professors, and government regulatory agencies, I have always been known as Sal. It’s not short for Sally. It’s not short for the Italian Salvatore. And it’s definitely not (I hope) connected with that mule on the Erie Canal.

Sal. It is a truncation of my Aunt’s maiden name – Salisbury – supported by a term of endearment that my father used for his mother. It’s based on a popular song of the time titled My Gal Sal. Alas, I’ve just never been able to live up to the grandeur of the name Martha Grace. More »

by Dianna Edwards

I was first married in 1978 — the Year of the Cheese Dome. Jimmy Carter was president, John Lennon was alive, and social Atlanta had a taste for exotic cheeses served under glass.

The first time I wrote the name Dianna Thorington was at the bottom of a honeymoon room service order for cheeseburgers and champagne. The only time I used the title “Mrs.” was at the bottom of a divorce decree three years later.

Edwards, then, is what is euphemistically called my maiden name. I haven’t used it in business in over 20 years, except as a bridge between Dianna and Thorington. I have always used the complete trifecta as a byline on those rare occasions commercial writing affords me one. More »

Spring’s New Offerings

by Don Fernandez

The entertainment landscape is looking pretty awkward right now. The writers’ strike has thrown prime time into a tizzy, the cinema is a calm before the spring and summer storms and music…well, the music industry isn’t exactly looking robust.

Nonetheless, there are several somewhat intriguing options that make the wait for warm weather a little more bearable. And, of course, there’s always Netflix: More »

The Birth of a Nickname

by Marla Shavin

My brother called one night as he was heading back into town from trying a case in Virginia. He was checking in, eager to tell me how the proceedings went, and during our conversation he asked me if I’d ever heard of Radford University. I hadn’t, so he went on to explain to me that it’s a beautiful little campus near Roanoke. The topic normally would have felt totally random, but the reality is that lately every afternoon when I go to the mail box, there is at least one brochure from colleges and universities. These brightly-colored assorted marketing pieces are addressed to my teenage daughter introducing themselves with hope she’ll consider them as she starts to think about life after high school. More »

by VIRGINIA LYNNE ANDERSON

“Sleep my child, and peace attend thee
All through the night
Guardian Angels God will send thee
All through the night…”

OK, what the heck are you talking about?

SLEEP? Who sleeps anymore? More »

Cool Hats and Shades for Spring

by Mary Jo DiLonardo

It’s only early spring, but winter coats are long gone from the store racks, and swimsuits have dared to make an appearance. If you’re just not up for dressing rooms with fluorescent lights, forget the bikinis and set your sights on something a little more manageable right now. High up on spring’s fashion must-have lists are way-cool hats and sunglasses. Here are some hip ideas to get you started. More »

by Mari Maseng Will

At a rare moment free of incumbents and heirs apparent, the tangle of American politics in its reformed state seems poised to produce – in these times of tumultuous peril and gaping philosophical divides – a most boring stumble to election day.

The beginning of this contest was like riding a rollercoaster, with each serious candidate on a wild ride – alternatively plummeting, soaring and navigating hairpin turns. Voters got the feeling that they were at the controls, they would determine the outcome, they would choose their nominees. Then came “Crucial Tuesday.”

In early March, it was possible for many hundreds of thousands of Democrats to vote – and decide absolutely nothing at all. By fine-tuning the “fairness” of the delegate selection processes, Democrats have produced a perfect Petri dish for growing cynicism, conspiracy theories and divisions in a party prone to them anyway. More »

by Erica Rountree

Telemarketing calls, credit card solicitations and a mailbox full of catalogs are typically nothing more than a modern-day annoyance to moms. But if solicitors or bill collectors are asking for your 3-year-old, and he’s getting a mountain of fliers from cell phone providers, a simple annoyance may actually be a red flag. Can you say identity theft, Will Robinson?

Children are unfortunately prime targets for today’s identity thieves. The IRS requires parents to establish a Social Security number for newborns who will be listed as tax deductions. Because Social Security numbers are based on date of issue, not date of birth, creditors may notice nothing amiss when a minor’s Social Security number is used to establish credit fraudulently. That, coupled with a pristine credit record and a potentially long window of opportunity before the crime is discovered, is a big draw for thieves searching for new financial identities. More »