First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Play Ball!

One of the sweet memories of growing up in New York was going with my Dad to see the Mets. I’d sit beside him in Shea Stadium, as he schooled me in how to keep score of every at bat. The Mets didn’t win much then, but I never cared. (We had the Yankees for that.) The experience, as great as it was, did not turn me into a lifelong Mets fan. My heart remains in San Francisco with the Giants. Happy opening day!

Photo from the series, Coney Island 1965-1970, by Stephen Salmieri

End of Week Zen

Ready to unplug. Happy weekend!

Poster by Steve Powers

Reading Time

For the first time in a long time, I visited my local library and checked out some books. I’d forgotten what a wonderful feeling that is.

Illustration by Peter Max

Calling on an Angel for Home Repair

Earlier this week, when opening my hall closet, the door wouldn’t budge. I exerted some muscle and eventually it gave way, almost falling on me. As usual in these situations, I panicked, calmed down, then tried making a diagnosis. I’m feeble at this, but even I could see the door had come off its track. I couldn’t tell whether this was a 5-minute fix or would require my taking out a second mortgage to repair it. I phoned a friend who came right over, figured out what was wrong and made it right. And here’s what I mean about angel. He insisted on vacuuming up the dust.

Don’t forget to check out our new contest.

Artwork by Arturo Hernández Alcázar

Happy 80th, Gloria!

“Marriage works best for men than women. The two happiest groups are married men and unmarried women.”

Photo by Nigel Parry

Contest: What’s Your Desert Island Food?

I’ve made no secret of my love of carbs. It’s hard for me to imagine a happy life without pasta, potatoes and pizza. FPS is launching a new contest to learn about YOUR desert island food. To enter today’s contest, answer the question: What one food item couldn’t you live without? I’m thrilled to announce the prize is a copy of Cooking for Two, the latest cookbook from the editors of America’s Test Kitchen, my number one kitchen gurus.

Submit your entry using the Comments section. Include your first name. If you win, we’ll email for your U.S. shipping address and phone number. By submitting you’ll become an FPS subscriber (if you’re not already). Please submit only one idea per entry, though feel free to enter as often as you like. Deadline is April 5, 2014.

Photo from newyorkshitty

Lift Off

Wishing you all a buoyant weekend!

Grapes Balloon by Javier Pérez

Here’s to Optimism

Poem by William Carlos Williams

Staying Grounded as Things are Swirling Around

There’s a lot of turmoil in the fragile ecosystem of my home environment. Two of the neighbors that I’m fond of are putting their condos up for sale, another two are temporarily moving away, which all adds up to far too much change for my comfort zone. Maybe it will lead to something fabulous. Hope so!

Photo: Johnson Avenue in Brooklyn from newyorkshitty

One of My Great Loves

Sometimes I glance over at my dog and think, I love her as much as I’ve loved anyone. And that’s the way I feel about San Francisco.

Artwork by Wendy MacNaughton