Swimming with the Mermaid

No Tears for Oprah

Mon May 16, 2011 2:44 PM EDT

Unless you have been under a rock and/or don't watch TV, it's impossible to escape the fact that Oprah (Winfrey) ends the network run of her talk show this week after 25 years on-air.

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media, talk, celebrity, oprah, winfrey, television, network, oprah-winfrey, shows, own

Mourning (My Living) Mom

Thu May 5, 2011 9:20 AM EDT

As Mothers' Day quickly approaches, my mind is all about Mom. With a twist. I could tell Mom for hours on end what she means to me and everything about her that is integrated into my being from my earliest memories forward. I could tell her she is one of a kind.

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mom, family, love, legacy, alzheimers, relationships, mothers-day

No Dancing... Just "Limbo"

Mon May 2, 2011 12:28 PM EDT

It will never be easy for me to endorse tit-for-tat behavior. Yes, the person whom we believe to be responsible for the worst crime against innocent lives in American history has finally met his end at our hands. But is this justice? Possibly.

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iraq, pakistan, middle-east, iran, death, darfur, america, war, bin-laden, wa

Satisfaction

Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:07 PM EDT

Generally, I know about the book/movie "Eat, Pray, Love" but have not read, seen or explored it in-depth.

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fashion, movies, lifestyle, philosophy, satisfaction, opulence

Turning On is Turn-Off

Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:15 PM EDT

There's a preponderance of images riding the airwaves and so little of it is satisfying an itch. It's like getting a craving for something but you're not sure exactly what you want. You're only sure what you don't--and I'm getting plenty of that.

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media, japan, gas, war, television, news, finances, reality-television, royal-wedding

All in A Word

Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:24 PM EDT

My Great Grandmother Angelina Revellino used to say "Dolly* … No talka before you go, talka when you come back." It's something I've practiced all my life. Too bad there are many out there who don't. Everyone is an armchair expert these days.

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leadership, behavior, intimidation, empowerment, bullies, believe, mean-girls

Rewarding Bad Behavior

Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:10 PM EDT

Will there ever again be a time when being famous doesn't include drama, drinking and dumbing down? Even when I hung around stoned hippies at Bethesda Fountain (in Central Park), we valued people who exhibited some level of intelligence and inimitable talent.

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media, tv, rutgers, toni-morrison, seacrest, behavior, reality-television, jersey-shore, rhianna, kardashian

NASCAR Has Nothing Over Sheen

Tue Mar 8, 2011 2:36 PM EST

Everyone with a thought and a pen is using both to speak about the fascinating public breakdown that is Charlie Sheen. As fields of snow across the U.S. melt into floods of destruction, so goes he.

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entertainment, tv, editorial, nascar, drugs, sheen, comedy, psychology, drama, televsion

Online Bulletin Boards: SOS or BS?

Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:02 AM EST

Everyone who has ever taken the time to participate on an internet bulletin board related to a particular subject has probably discovered they can be the epitome of the double-edged sword.

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technology, online, internet, forum, legal, chat, morals, webchat, unsafe, bulletin-board

Puppies & Politics: A Week of Disappointments

Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:37 PM EDT

"Blessed are they who expect nothing for they are never disappointed." – Unknown First: The Self-Indulgence of Sharing A Personal Disappointment

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media, bush, economy, spitzer, clinton, president, sex, scandal, craig, government

Last of the Greats: A Tale of the Perfectly Imperfect

Tue Mar 4, 2008 6:05 PM EST

My great aunt died on Friday, February 29, 2008. In her own way, she was as deliciously unique as the day she died—a day that appears only once every four years.

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death, abuse, family, foster, irish, love, italian, molestation, obituary, sexual-abuse

Reason to Believe?

Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:28 PM EST

"If I listened long enough to you, I'd find a way to believe that it's all true…" -Rod Stewart

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elections, economy, america, clinton, politics, president, war, mccain, u-s, obama

Progress: A Reflection

Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:13 AM EST

So it's that time of year again.

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health, progress, evolving, ds, thyroid, autoimmune-disease, weight-loss-surgery, soul-searching, hashimotos-thyroiditis, duodenal-switch

My Mirena Misery

Wed Sep 19, 2007 4:57 PM EDT

"Never let your best friend walk behind you if you don't want to know the truth." -Melissa Mermaid

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cancer, health, warning, breast-cancer, bayer, hormones, tumor, birth-control, gynecologist, dangers

A Heavy Decision, Part 1: Before You Leap

Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:53 PM EDT

This article is by no means a suggestion for having weight loss surgery; it is not to be considered advice, nor an endorsement of any particular procedure. I am neither a medical professional, nor do I claim to be an expert of any kind.

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fitness, food, music, health, surgery, medical, jesse-jackson, marriage, celebrity, hospital

A Heavy Decision, Part 2: The Procedures

Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:52 PM EDT

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fitness, food, music, health, surgery, medical, jesse-jackson, marriage, celebrity, hospital

A Heavy Decision, Part 3: Making It Happen

Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:52 PM EDT

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fitness, food, music, health, surgery, medical, jesse-jackson, marriage, celebrity, hospital

Another 9/11 Story: My Day of Miracles

Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:46 PM EDT

This date will never again be an easy one for me--in spite of the fact it is my favorite cousin's birthday.

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nyc, journalist, emergency, new-jersey, news, change, world-trade-center, tragedy, us-news, producer

Faux-shion Week

Fri Sep 7, 2007 4:41 PM EDT

At the risk of sounding like a discontent "Plain Jane," there is little about Fashion Week that I find appealing--even though I am a New Yorker and I actually love clothes. Maybe it's because I don't think of the fashion business as an all-inclusive industry.

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ebay, fashion, labels, stylist, clothing, designers, entourage, erickson, phony, blass

August in Review: Random Thoughts

Mon Sep 3, 2007 6:12 PM EDT

Am I the only one who noticed that the tenth anniversary of Mother Teresa's death occurs on September 5th and there is little media focus on the incredible selflessness of her life? Some print attention has pointed to the release of Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light—a book tha …

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new-orleans, new-york, flooding, politics, television, midwest, princess-diana, anchorwoman, 9-11, mother-teresa

I Sit Alone...

Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:13 PM EDT

Every time I try to convince myself that I think and feel like everyone else, I realize I don't. That's not necessarily a bad thing because I'd rather lead the way than be a follower.

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entertainment, eminem, music, review, rock, blues, eric-clapton, chesney, american-idol, kenny-chesney

It's Only Rock'n'Roll...

Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:56 PM EDT

I was sitting in a dentist's chair this morning when I heard that Hilly Kristal (owner of CBGB's) had died of lung cancer at age 75 and I felt "a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices..." had lost their power.

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entertainment, nyc, music, club, hilly-kristal, band, venue, bands, talent, kristal