Author Archives: Kathy

What Is a Phone?

Posted on June 16, 2026 by Kathy

Recently I posted the following on Facebook: Grandson wanted Papa to make him a phone out of paper. Papa became exasperated not knowing how to do this but eventually followed directions. The result was several smallish pieces of paper stapled … Continue reading →

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An Etymological Course

Posted on June 5, 2026 by Kathy

A person dear to my heart is currently in the throes of prodromal labor. Its common synonym, false labor, is something of a misnomer, because it’s not a mere fake out; it’s a precursor. Prodromal is used for any early … Continue reading →

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Vestibular Adventures

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Kathy

Last week, the ER nurse gave me a prescription for meclizine, the main ingredient of dramamine, to treat my vertigo. My world had been spinning for almost a week at that point She said it wasn’t a cure but would … Continue reading →

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To Ban or Not to Ban

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Kathy

I belong to a Banned Book Book Club (BBBC) that meets once a month via Zoom. At each meeting, we discuss where and why our book was banned – often more difficult to determine than you might think. This month’s … Continue reading →

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David and Kathy in Transit

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Kathy

I first encountered author David Guterson in 1992, when he was a handsome young father homeschooling his children and working as a public-school English teacher on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. In 1992, I was also a homeschooling parent and … Continue reading →

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A Lincoln Portrait

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Kathy

Almost ten years after my first attempt, today I finished George Saunders’s 2017 novel Lincoln in the Bardo, just in time for Lincoln’s 217th birthday. This was my third run at the book, and this time I finally made it … Continue reading →

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Carpe Diem

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Kathy

I didn’t realize when I chose the cover photo for my book Lead Me, Guide Me: The Life and Example of Father Dan Begin that its significance would be lost on many readers—maybe most readers. I should have done more … Continue reading →

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Minneapolis, Deja Vu

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Kathy

On the evening of May 4, 1970, I walked into the kitchen of our home in Canton. My dad was sitting in his wheelchair in his usual spot at the kitchen table, leaning toward the radio. As I approached, he … Continue reading →

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Megyn’s Pedantry

Posted on November 18, 2025 by Kathy

During the Lewinsky-Clinton scandal twenty-five years ago, I remember parents’ bemoaning uncomfortable conversations with their children about sex acts that might have waited a few years if not for our President’s Oval Office activities. A semen-stained dress was in the … Continue reading →

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It’s about Boxes, not Boxing

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Kathy

Wherein I admit that the terms discussed below were heretofore unfamiliar to me. Be kind. Homework, a recent memoir by Englishman Geoff Dyer, is endlessly amusing. He’s a witty writer (The Ongoing Moment, The Last Days of Roger Federer) with … Continue reading →

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