Category Archives: Observed

Giddy Arrivals

Posted on June 12, 2013 by

The young girls break free from the distracted travelers entering the main terminal. They spot their father straightaway, call “Daddy, daddy!” and rush to him by cutting around various legs and carry-ons. Their mother follows with their little brother in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Happiness, Mischief, Observed, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Older and Wiser (and Eating Cake!)

Posted on May 3, 2013 by

The treadmills hum quietly and the pair of ladies speak loudly. Their grey hair bounces, they swing their elbows. When one says, “All right, here we go,” they turn up the speed just a pinch, and clasp onto the frame … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Fitness, Mischief, Observed, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Men

Posted on April 3, 2013 by

It is a Turkish barber shop in Vienna. A lean, dark-eyed man smokes a cigarette, even as the barber lathers his face for a shave. The barber works around the ash. A young man in a white jacket and dress … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Happiness, Mischief, Observed, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Clock Watching

Posted on March 13, 2013 by

The shuttle heading north is supposed to leave the airport at 8:05 pm.  The elderly pair in the front seat wait. The driver leaves the door open and the shuttle bus running. “Is it 8:01?” She asks her husband. “8:02?” … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Happiness, Mischief, Observed, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fishing With the Straßenbahn-Netz

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

A man sweeps the sidewalk in front of the hotel, casting gravel into a diminishing snowbank just past the curb. He wears a purple sweater over a white shirt, navy slacks, and blindingly shiny black shoes. He works quickly with … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Europe, Happiness, Observed, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Well-Behaved

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

The baby has more hair than most of Economy Class. Her mother totes the tot in a carrier over her front, like a nervous tourist who carries their backpack over their stomach, but this mother is calm. She also guides … Continue reading →

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The Deliberation: To Crock Pot Or Not

Posted on January 23, 2013 by

They were the third pair that day mulling over the used crock pot at the back of the thrift store. Ultimately, everyone shops the same. A teenaged girl and her mother–the girl holding up things she thought might suit her … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Happiness, Mischief, Observed, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Benim Kızım and Other Cures for Airsickness

Posted on January 21, 2013 by

The general rustling of reading material charges through the airplane. Everyone shifts in their seat, digs through the belongings that should be stowed under the seat. The whole middle section of passengers tries to make noise, if nothing else, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Europe, Happiness, Observed, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Fear in Footwear

Posted on December 21, 2012 by

There’s something to the Target shoe department.  I’ve heard children say, “I wish people would stop having babies so we could stop going to baby showers.” I’ve seen children shuffling along in adult heels, seeking their parents or making their … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Happiness, Inspiration, Observed, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Cat Scratch Traffic

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

She squints at the stop sign with the groggy look of 6:00 am drivers. Watching for a break in traffic, the woman suddenly comes alive. She jolts. The car rolls as though she’s released her foot from the brake, then … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Happiness, Mischief, Observed, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments