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Author: Elizabeth N
Spiritual Retreat: allowing time for reflection, prayer and meditation
I went on my first spiritual retreat when I was around 12. My great Aunt Mary took me on a Catholic atonement retreat at the Franciscan Friars of Atonement Seminary, headquartered at Graymoor in Garrison, New York. I went twice on this beautiful and peaceful retreat. A Christian retreat can be defined as a definite time (from… Read more
Exploring the Vibrant Scene on 26th Street in Wilton Manors
26th Street in Wilton Manors, a neighborhood in Oakland Park, Florida, is a fun and exciting place to live. I often moved between selling my first condo on 13th and Mockingbird Lane ( I am not a Munster, but that was my address) and buying my townhouse in Wilton Manors. I had fun living in… Read more
The Tiny Mouse: An Unexpected Friendship
We have all heard the saying about the elephant in the room. I have a short story about the tiny mouse in my room and the unexpected friendship that ensued. Picture this: an 11-year-old under the care of two elderly Victorian-era Great Aunts. After school, your allotted playtime is over, and television is allowed during… Read more
Introducing Be Bad Betty: Feisty Alter Ego
Introducing “Be Bad Betty,” my alter ego. Introducing her on Bluesky as my feisty alter ego, Be Bad Betty, says it loudly and proudly. I wanted to catch people’s attention in a straightforward yet non-offending manner. Be Bad Betty’s campaign encourages people to read and reread the old classics. Labeled banned books by the far… Read more
Don’t try to dumb me down
I am no longer content with just staying out of it. Remaining quiet and neutral is complacency, which is the last thing we need in these challenging times. We are about to discover if Americans have any backbones left. Are we just going to roll over and play dead, or in some cases, roll over… Read more
Mike and I Walking on the Edge of the Wild Side
South Florida in the 1980s was a head-banging experience for anyone who liked alternative music. The Cameo Theater on Miami Beach was at the heart of the underground music world known as Punk, Trash, and skate music. Best friends in the mid-80s, Mike and I bonded over Punk, trash, and skate punk music. We frequented… Read more
The Adventures of the Legendary Pinzon Sisters: Mina and Catalina
Continuing on the theme of family dynamics, as discussed in my previous post, I present the Pinzon sisters: Grandmother Catalina and her older sister, Great Aunt Mina. In the jungles of Panama The sisters were born and raised in a small village in the jungles of Panama. One day, the sisters decided to go deeper… Read more
Holidays, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Holidays in the Jurado family had the makings of a fascinating drama/comedy. My family celebrated the holidays elaborately; like most families, we kept up with the Jones. Moreover, I suspect, like most families, there is always some drama simmering and a lot of comedy. As I got older, I could see more and more of… Read more
Little Red Ford Falcon: My Great Joy
My first car was named Little Red. Little Red was a rite of passage for me. I was ecstatic to finally afford my first car. Little Red was a 1963 Ford Falcon convertible, and I loved its ugly little self. Yes, ugly; by the time I bought this little gem in 1975 for $400, it… Read more
Buddha’s perspective on attachment to the body
It is all about bodies and Buddha’s perspective on attachment to the body. What can I say about my lifelong struggle with weight? My mother called me “Mamota”(Big Mama). I was born nine and a half pounds, so I was a big mama! At the time, everyone loved big babies, which was considered a sign… Read more