Category Archives: Advice I’d Like to Give

True Love

Posted on February 27, 2022 by advicefrommarta

Shortly after Valentine’s Day a friend of my daughter’s interviewed me about love. The two are working on a class project, a documentary theater piece. Each person in the class is interviewing three people of three different generations about love. … Continue reading →

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Say You’re Sorry

Posted on September 27, 2020 by advicefrommarta

Yom Kippur is “The Day of Atonement,” the day of saying you’re sorry. The whole week leading up to Yom Kippur we’re supposed to apologize to people we’ve wronged. In Jewish thought, God can’t forgive you for things you do … Continue reading →

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Making the Bed

Posted on September 21, 2020 by advicefrommarta

It took me a long time to start making my bed. As a child, it was not something required in my house. It was something saved for company, summer camp, and my one year of boarding school. In college, making … Continue reading →

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Karen and Steve

Posted on July 26, 2020 by advicefrommarta

The other day on Facebook, where all life happens now, a friend asked for the definition of a Karen. She was confused because she thought that previously “Karens” were the women lecturing others about face masks and calling the police … Continue reading →

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Moving through Grief

Posted on November 9, 2016 by advicefrommarta

Yesterday, November 8th, was obviously election day. It was also the umpteenth anniversary of my friend Mark’s death from AIDS. In many ways, Mark’s death was my “first.” I knew other people who had died, friends of the family, distant … Continue reading →

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Blame Isn’t the Problem, Social Media Is

Posted on June 19, 2016 by advicefrommarta

I have a theory about how normal people deal with other people’s tragedies.  I’m not a psychologist, but here it is: Step 1: You hear that a horrible tragedy has befallen someone you don’t know. Step 2: You feel a … Continue reading →

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The Bigger Story

Posted on June 12, 2016 by advicefrommarta

I knew this guy in high school. Let’s call him “D.” I didn’t know him well, but he was cute and nice. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes, a combo I still love. I think he played trumpet … Continue reading →

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The Pope, Kim Davis, and Henry David Thoreau’s Sex Life

Posted on September 30, 2015 by advicefrommarta

This morning my Facebook feed was full of people doubting that Pope Francis had really met with Kim Davis, the Kentucky un-clerk. Then, this afternoon my feed was full of people expressing disappointment and disbelief at the news that he … Continue reading →

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Love and Loss, Part Two

Posted on May 27, 2014 by advicefrommarta

The Fall that my daughter was five, after recovering from the flu, she lost her lovey. It was horrible. As the Fall wore on and got worse and worse in so many ways, the loss of her beloved Cow became … Continue reading →

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Another Letter to Gwyneth

Posted on March 30, 2014 by advicefrommarta

Dear Gwyneth, I can’t say that this is my normal thing. I don’t usually spend too much time thinking about celebrities and the things they say. I also don’t spend a lot of time writing “open letters.” I think the … Continue reading →

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