First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

2019, Game On

Here’s to you 
And the sea you’ve swum.
That you’re still afloat,
And paddling on.
We’re almost there,
It’s almost done.
Another circle 
Around the sun.

Poem and Illustration by Oliver Jeffers

Let There Be Light

23 seconds and counting…

Twitter feed @HereComesTheSun

Too Soon?

Cartoon by P.C. Vey for The New Yorker

Ho Ho Ho!

To all who celebrate, a very, merry Christmas!!

Pasta Santa hats by Linda Miller Nicholson

Down Time

My iPhone battery is draining from all the Twitter use. I’m finding it very hard to turn off the news. In the nick of time, my Friday night unplug ritual is calling. 

Illustration by Stephan Schmitz

Creating Options

Regular FPS readers know that I host a lavish, annual Christmas dinner for close friends at my home. I started the tradition about 10 years ago to insure that I’d have a place to go for the holidays. All the planning, prepping, cooking and even setting the table with red and green decorative touches gives me a sense of belonging during an otherwise fraught time of year. There’s no mistletoe here, but lots of options for hugs and kisses.

Chart by Matt Shirley

Moral Compass

Today, Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Children’s Hospital in D.C. to hand out gifts to delighted kids. I’ve watched the video of his visit many times now. And I’ve welled up in tears, thinking about the long, dark journey we’ve traveled as a nation since his presidency. May the good times return soon.

Grown Up Drinks

In the basement of my childhood home, my parents had a built-in bar filled with bottles of alcohol that were crusted over from lack of use. Drinking wasn’t part of our cultural experience. It wasn’t until my forties that I started to appreciate cocktail hour. At first, I’d order Bloody Mary’s, which received a lot of scorn from my gourmand friends. They taught me the pleasure of Manhattans and Martinis, and I haven’t looked back since.

Bloody Mary oil painting by Oriana Ingber

Let There Be Lights

Holiday Struggle by Daniel Savage

Sweet Indulgence

Every holiday season, my financial advisor sends out a box of chocolates. As someone who has worked hard to kick the sugar habit after a lifetime of craving sweets, this gift arrives with mixed emotions. My first thought is to stow the chocolates and serve at Christmas dinner as a side dessert for guests. But in the end, I keep it for myself, indulging throughout the holidays. And it feels like a special treat.

Photo from Designcrush