Throughout the past month or so, I’ve discovered a lot of new songs and artists, and re-discovered some old ones. Some are from music reviews I read, some are from friends and others are songs that I just stumbled upon. As you’ll see, I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. I want to hearContinue reading “Playlist for 2009: Bon Iver, My Morning Jacket, John Legend and More”
Author Archives: Mallary Tenore Tarpley
Seeing Lots of Lavish Spending Lately
I can’t help but cringe when I hear about girls on “The Bachelor” getting highly expensive gifts — beautiful lodging, designer clothes, diamond necklaces — when so many people in this economy are struggling to survive day to day. I just finished watching this show, so the lavishness of it all is on my mind.Continue reading “Seeing Lots of Lavish Spending Lately”
New Goal: Get Some Sleep
This is strange. It’s 10:14 p.m. and I’m ready for bed. My teeth are brushed, my face is washed, my contacts are out. It’s not unusual for me to go to bed at 2 a.m., only to get up five hours later for work. “What do you do that late at night?” people ask me.Continue reading “New Goal: Get Some Sleep”
Tips for Writing Memoirs and Personal Essays
I had lunch on Wednesday with a mentor who shares my passion for personal writing. Before we even walked out the door, he handed me a copy of a personal essay he’d recently written. We talked about the piece and bounced ideas off of each other to help ourselves better understand our direction as writers.Continue reading “Tips for Writing Memoirs and Personal Essays”
Realizing the Power of Forgiveness
An article in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times caught my eye. The piece, titled “Members of Kenyan Tribes Work Toward Reconciliation,” says that each Saturday, a few dozen Kenyans get together to forgive and ask to be forgiven: “These traumatized victims of Kenya’s post-election clashes meet to talk, pray, sing and – they hope – heal.Continue reading “Realizing the Power of Forgiveness”
Personal Writing That Helps Oneself, and Others
I’ve thought a lot lately about the power of personal writing. “Anyone can have a blog and just write about themselves,” some people have recently told me, as though blogging about oneself is not a worthwhile pursuit. The beauty of personal writing, though, is that it can be both personal and universal at the sameContinue reading “Personal Writing That Helps Oneself, and Others”
Falling Asleep in the Boston Public Library
The snoring was loud enough to turn heads. On the otherwise quiet second floor of the Boston Public Library, a man sat with his head titled backward, his arms outstretched, his mouth wide open. I peered at him over the cover of Joan Didion’s “Democracy” and wondered what had made him so tired. Was itContinue reading “Falling Asleep in the Boston Public Library”
Reporting on Religious Angles in the Madoff Case
It’s a classic question: When is it relevant to include someone’s race, ethnicity or religion in a story? Journalists covering the Bernard Madoff scandal were faced with this question when trying to decide how to cover the religious angle of the Madoff scheme. Many stories about Madoff talked about his hefty donations to Jewish organizations,Continue reading “Reporting on Religious Angles in the Madoff Case”
Much to Be Grateful for This Holiday Season
I’m at home now, listening to the snow melt into the wee hours of Christmas day. My neighbors’ lights are turned off, and the streets are silent. No cars are rushing by, no sirens echo in the distance. It’s a perfect night to curl under the covers with a warm fleece blanket and something cuddlyContinue reading “Much to Be Grateful for This Holiday Season”
Sharing Buzzwords and Expressions from the Past and Present Day
My grandmother uses a lot of expressions that I’ve come to understand over the years. As a child, though, I didn’t know what she was saying. It was as though she was speaking another language, or speaking in constant similies. One of her favorite expressions, for example, was “I slept like a top last night.”Continue reading “Sharing Buzzwords and Expressions from the Past and Present Day”
Word on the Street 