The Way It Is: Newsworthy Resolution
For some reason, even those of us who celebrate Rosh Hashanah as the beginning of the New Year tend to make resolutions on December 31. When we sit in...
Daf Yomi: In Hot Water
The following is based on a true story.
Nathan comes home from his out-of-town dormitory. He loudly declares, “I’m starving!” His mother gently reminds him that he managed for a...
The Way It Is: The Heart of the Matter
Each time a major snowfall is expected, my mother’s words ring in my ears. I can still hear her admonishing my dad; “Willie, you are not going to shovel...
Schmutter: Complaining About Mahn
So I hear where I live in New Jersey, the free-food-box pickup may be ending — again — and soon we won’t have free food anymore, unless we count...
Schmutter: Presents of the Future
Are you bad at buying Chanukah gifts?
Well, do we have some ideas for you! They’re bad ideas, of course, but that’s what makes them perfect for you.
Note that all...
The Way It Is: Casting About for New Meaning
My lifelong friend Nancy is a former English teacher. We speak often, and during a recent call, she told me that she was unhappy with her retirement. She felt...
Schmutter: How Should I Know?
Welcome back to “How Should I Know?” — the column that puts the “um” in “advice column.”
Dear Mordechai,
I need to sign up for something, and the computer wants me...
The Way It Is: A Question of Good Humor
Some people love to laugh. One might even say that they live to laugh. These are folks who know that laughter is healthy. I am one of those people,...
The Way It Is: Full Transparency
Some people are always on the lookout for a way to acquire a windfall. My late husband Arnie always said he would like to “make a killing in the...
Schmutter: It’s The Gesture
Have you ever seen someone making hand gestures while talking on the phone and you wondered why? After all, the other party can’t see it, right?
I’m making a “Why?”...