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Finding the Keepers: A Framework for Sorting Through Family Conflict
I love the anticipation of hauling in a king crab pot. As the boat’s winch lifts the heavy trap from the depths, our minds replay all the variables that affect the catch: Did we use the right bait? Did we drop the pot onto a level spot? Are we even in an area where the crabs are? And then – the rush of exultation as the pot breaks the surface and we see a huge tangle of legs and claws clinging to the side of the net, the bait ball, and each other. Yes! My mouth is already watering. But…
Kathy Giles
Speaker / Writer
Archives
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The Dog Spoon
Don’t judge me by the utensils I use. The first time I met my prospective in-laws I really wanted to make a good impression. Instead, I scandalized them by using the wrong spoon. It wasn’t a breach of etiquette. I’m not some ditzy debutante who can’t navigate a formal place setting. I was helping prepare…
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It’s Not Easy Going Green
Kermit the Frog was more right than we knew Throughout my childhood, Kermit the Frog lamented that it’s not easy being green. But while Kermit eventually figured it out (he does have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after all), I’m still struggling to reach that verdant state. In fact, going green in…
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Personality Quiz Uncovers the Me I Never Knew
How well do I know myself? Apparently not well enough. When I was a kid, the cool girls shared personality quizzes from Tiger Beat magazine on the school bus. Sadly, my uncool self never scored high enough to break into the ranks of potential celebrity girlfriends. (Your loss, David Cassidy.) As we grew up,…
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Cat in a Dog Suit
Some dogs are cats in disguise There are definite differences between big dogs and little dogs. I have big dogs. They act like dogs. My sister has a small dog, Roxie, whom we met for the first time on a recent visit. She doesn’t act anything like my pooches. In fact, her personality is…
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Sea Lions, Salmon and Bears, Oh My!
Another ordinary day in Juneau, Alaska “We just got in a fight with a sea lion.” The message from my daughter falls into the category of “texts I never expected to receive.” It ranks on par with the “There’s a big bear in your backyard,” call we got from the neighbor this morning as we…
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Worth the Wait
Good things come to those who wait. The moment we have been waiting for has arrived: our local grocery store is now carrying orange flesh melons. We heard about these mouth-watering little beauties from a client last summer and quickly became addicted. The outside looks like honeydew, the inside resembles cantaloupe, and the sweet taste…
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Eighteen Kisses for the Dog
As a dog owner, I frequently find myself smooching my pooches. One of the best perks of dog ownership is the welcome that greets me when I get home. My dogs state their happiness in whines and wiggles as soon as I cross the threshold. They press close and rub against me, eyes bright…
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Selfies Are Not in My Skill Set
I Cannot Take a Decent Selfie if My Life Depended on It I can type 60+ words per minute and use an adding machine without looking at the keys. I do jigsaw puzzles, sew and embroider. Fluting a piecrust or stuffing a cannoli is well within my skill set. But I cannot take a decent…
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One Act of Larceny Lingers for Years
My Oldest Possession is Stolen Property One of my oldest possessions is a teddy bear I acquired from a cousin when I was a child. To be honest, I stole it from him. I’m not sure why this act of larceny still lingers in my mind. I was never much of a rule-breaker, although my…