First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Look Up

April 2013 night sky. (from kateoplis)

Upside of Aging

Just about everyday, I have a banana smoothie. It’s the tastiest when the bananas are really ripe. Until seeing this image I’d never thought about it as a metaphor.

Artwork from Stuff & Son

Contest: What’s Your Splurge?

What’s the best book you’ll read this year? The Times says it’s The TENTH OF DECEMBER, a new collection of stories by George Saunders. I was fortunate to attend a library event recently where Saunders read a short piece and talked about writing. I was struck not only with his wit and intelligence, but great humanity. This book is wonderful and can be yours, if you submit the winning entry for our contest.

To enter, answer the question: what’s your splurge? This is partly inspired by one of the stories from the collection in which a father wins some lottery money and splurges on his family. Also, I’ll be announcing the winner on tax day, April 15. So share with us one thing you dream of splurging on. (The scale of the splurge is up to you.) Submit your entry using the Comments section. Include your first name. If you win, we’ll email for your U.S. shipping address, and telephone number. By submitting you’ll become an FPS subscriber (if you’re not already). Please submit only one splurge per entry, though feel free to enter as often as you like. Deadline is April 10, 2013.