à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Courage
Dispatch from an Olympics Grinch
I remember being glued to the Olympics when I was home one winter with pneumonia or flu (probably in 1976), with my cat and the television my main companions. I enjoyed the figure skating, with its costumes, elegant skaters and music, but couldn’t connect to the other sports. As a highly sensitive person, I hated … Continue reading
Do you live in possibility or fear?
I grew up in a family of news junkies. Even though we lived in Massachusetts, we religiously studied the New York Times, pored over the Boston Globe, and skimmed the weekly local paper. Later, the Wall Street Journal entered the mix for a more balanced ideological intake. My father had first dibs, and the rest … Continue reading
The Darkness behind Pink Bows and Ribbons
For months, Denver has been festooned with the image of a “Paris rose” satin bow from an evening dress in Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective at the Denver Art Museum (the exhibit ends today). Colorado’s capital was the exclusive US venue for this extravaganza, which made for the unexpected troika of “Paris. Madrid. Denver.” on … Continue reading
Declaring Independence: Would You?
For some Americans, July 4th has become a caricature, a complicated and courageous moment distilled to a day of beer, BBQ and fireworks or, less benignly, jingoistic expression. We celebrate independence, and freedom, but what do these words really mean on a societal level if, as individuals, not everyone is independent or free? Here is … Continue reading
What does it mean to “commit”?
I’ve been told by various people over the years, and most recently yesterday, that I can’t commit. I don’t know whether they are correct or not, but these folks seem to understand exactly what this means and, therefore, probably assume that I share their understanding. But I’m not sure I do, and I hope that … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
Recent comments