Costco just announced that it will start selling Ozempic and Wegovy, two of the wonder drugs of our era, at half the cost of other pharmacies. The drugs treat obesity quickly and dramatically. I have friends taking the meds whose whole bodies have transformed – they’ve lost 50 pounds or more. They feel great about themselves after trying everything else they could – finally, something is working. They move in the world with confidence, do athletics they never thought they … read more »

Every single day we live, each one of us makes an impact on the planet. And we have a choice as to what kind of impact we make. ~ Jane Goodall This week, we – you, me, the animal world, and the planet – lost a good friend and nurturer, Jane Goodall. I’ve been watching videos and listening to podcast interviews with her this week, and she has a few consistent messages that I wanted to share. She led by … read more »

This week (Sept 23rd) was the birthday of the great tenor saxophonist, John Coltrane, who would have turned 99. Coltrane was one of the most revered and influential jazz musicians of the 1950s and ’60s. He recorded beautiful ballads like Lush Life and In a Sentimental Mood, reinvented show tunes like My Favorite Things, and he was always pushing the boundaries of how to use music to express the pain and joy of human existence. He incorporated his spiritual evolution … read more »

My great (and great!) nephew, Cobi, started fifth grade at a new school this month. They taught this lovely song to the kids on the first day of school, and Cobi taught it to me. Step into your power (Step on up) Step into your power, child (Step on up) Step into your power (Step on up) Step into your power, child Don’t be afraid Don’t be afraid to fall It’s the getting back up That’s gonna make you strong … read more »

When Welles Remy Crowther was 6 years old in my adopted town of Nyack, his dad gave him 2 handkerchiefs. The white one, he said, goes in your breast pocket and is for show. The red bandana goes in your pants pocket and is the one you use to blow your nose. Welles kept a red bandana for the rest of his life, and it became his signature. He wore it under his sports uniforms when he played varsity football … read more »

One of the most heartbreaking and inspiring videos that I’ve seen lately is about Ahmed “Muin” Abu Amsha, a professor at the American International School and the Edward Said Conservatory of Music, who has been displaced almost 30 times and is living in a refugee camp in Gaza. Perhaps you’ve seen a video of him in the news or on social media. He says that the worst experience is the sound of the drones, which are used by the Israel … read more »

It’s been getting harder to decide what to write about lately. On one hand, I try to keep these posts hopeful and encouraging. On the other hand, the world as we’ve known it is being dismantled at a dizzying pace. Every day, institutions that we’ve relied on as bedrock are crumbling. Donald Trump has the charisma of a cult leader, and, with the help of so many others, is quickly turning this country from a democracy to a dictatorship. I … read more »

A British teacher (Tom Michel) takes a job at a boys’ boarding school just before the coup d’état in Argentina in 1976. This is the first premise of The Penguin Lessons, which is out on Netflix and is based on a true story. When there is a bombing nearby, the school closes for a week, and Tom takes the bus to a beach town in Uruguay. He tries to impress a woman he meets there by taking her for a … read more »

I learned earlier this week that Looking Ahead, one of the earliest albums by my late husband, Dr. Makanda Ken McIntyre, has been reissued on vinyl. (Looking Ahead is so retro, ha ha!). I am just delighted and wanted to share the good news with you. Makanda was an exceptional jazz musician and composer who never got his due. He plays alto saxophone and flute on this album, as does Eric Dolphy, who fronts the band with him and also … read more »