Hamilton at DPAC Is Not Just a Must-See Musical, It Is a Cultural Phenomenon!
Regardless of the acting team, the next time Hamilton comes to Durham, you should take your (older) kids for a special night out, including dinner (there are many affordable options). This is the article I wrote for the Triangle Review about my experience going to Hamilton the last time they came to Durham (in 2022).
Keep It To Yourself
Don’t stop writing poetry just because National Poetry month has passed. This favorite creation contemplates the scowls people wear when they are commuting, particularly on rainy days.
Joshua Thompson and Symoné Spencer Win 2022 Triangle Rising Stars Acting Honors
When I was given the opportunity to review this year's in-person Triangle Rising Stars Showcase and Awards program on Wednesday, May 11th, at the Durham Performing Arts Center, I knew immediately that I had to go. American Idol Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken hosted the event, which featured performances by 2021 TRS Best Actor Joshua Messmore and 2021 TRS Best Actress and 2021 Jimmy® Awards best-actress-award winner Elena Holder.
To Those Who Message(d) Me Privately This Week
After questioning the secretive and non-inclusive proceedings of a racially-based political action committee via Facebook, members of that organization attacked and ultimately removed me from the group. This article is in response to that experience.
To My Sensitive Loquacious Friends
I have been chastised throughout my life for being talkative, which only amplifies my innate sensitivity. I know well that I am not alone. This article was written to celebrate our good nature and remind us that it’s often them, not us.
Why Millicent Rogers Should Be On Durham’s School Board
For many reasons, I have been out of the political scene for years; but when I was contacted about this young, single mother who was running for Durham School Board and met her, she rekindled my hope. I have written this article to explain why and to endorse her.
2Cellos Continue to Entertain and Inspire (with Matt Simons and friends) at the DPAC this Week
This article was published by Triangle Review on April 8, 2022. My first son discovered 2Cellos when he was twelve; and his first “real” concert was the 2Cellos concert at the Durham Performing Arts Center. This year, the 2Cellos performance at the DPAC was his little brother’s first concert experience, which was even more momentous because it’s the 2Cellos last tour together...
A Wrinkle in Time at PlayMakers Rep Is a Worthwhile Family Excursion
This review first appeared in Triangle Review on 4 April 2022. Given its metaphorical construct and how the setting moves across space and time, I wondered whether the book, A Wrinkle in Time, could be successfully transformed into a play. Thanks to this review, I got to find out :-) .
Thank You, Durham Arts Council!
After receiving a grant from the Durham Arts Council to hire a web-designer to rebuild my author homepage to maximize outreach and marketing, I wrote this blog article to thank the DAC and to share my (often anxious) process.
Grace and Mercy at UNC’s Memorial Hall
Although more than 200 Confederate monuments have been removed across the country since 2019, the slabs of Confederate names in UNC's Memorial Hall still stand, rendering the Carolina Performing Arts ' presentation of Grace and Mercy an act of justice in and of itself.
Why We're Cancelling Spotify
This week, my family deleted our Spotify account and became Tidal subscribers. This article explains why. We are happy to report that Tidal’s service and musical quality appear to be better than what we had with Spotify…
Preventing Mass Shootings
There was a mass shooting scare this week at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, where my daughter is a student. Fortunately, the three day waiting period required for gun purchase provided the time that the community and police needed to perceive and prevent the threat.
Ukraine, Green Tea, Saving Young, and the Return to Live Theater
This is what I would have posted on Facebook today if I were not weening myself off Facebook. From facilitating your teenagers’ contributions to their Roth IRA’s (incredibly important if they are ever to have retirement savings) to naturally controlling high blood pressure (or not), this post has several informative nuggets you’ll be happy you consumed.
When it Snows in Dixie
We hesitantly scheduled a ski-trip to Wolf Ridge Lodge near UNC-Asheville, where my son is in school, and anxiously watched the weather as the date approached, knowing full well that snow in NC is always a toss up. Snow storm Izzy hit the night we arrived in Asheville; and, despite the driving calamities we encountered, the “country skiing” couldn’t have been better…
Petition Against the State's Override of Durham's Nomination for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
Phoebe Gooding is an incredibly qualified BIPOC woman who the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District unanimously nominated for a recently vacated position on the board. In an unprecedented move, the state Soil and Water Conservation Commission chose not to appoint her and instead appointed another old white man with farming roots. This article is an appeal to readers to sign the petition in opposition of the state’s override.
Covid Camping and Bear Hounding
During our 14-day quarantine after contracting Covid, my 5th-grade son, husband and I went camping in West Virginia and got educated in ways no classroom can provide. Despite our generally positive assessments of the Mountain Mama, our introduction to “bear hounding” was the lesson that stuck most…
On Forgiveness
Support Whistle Blowers: I used to harshly judge people who, after having knowingly enriched themselves in an unethical system, call out that system and try to lock the door behind them - hypocrites! But they are far better than the alternative majority, who knowingly enrich themselves in the same unethical system and wholeheartedly support it.
Protect Durham's Crown from Development
The Eno River needs protection from impervious development *again* 🥺. If you live in Durham or North Carolina, please write your elected representatives in support of saving the land surrounding the Eno River and the few remaining pristine places we have left.
To Dr. Mubenga and the DPS Board of Education (re Principal Hiring Process)
This is the letter I sent to the Durham Public Schools Superintendent and School Board to implore them to *truly* choose a parent/teacher/community-oriented principal for my son’s and all Durham public schools, not just by their words but by the expectations that are communicated to prospective candidates as well as their previous records in this regard.
Asking for Forgiveness Later
American society has put layers of rules in place over its existence. Privileged people, who are generally white, have been permitted to bend those rules; while non-privileged people, who are generally people of color, have had to follow them to a T …