The Striped Nickel

Hey there, Readers! How ARE you?  Mad at me? I know, I've been a crappy blogger-friend. But hey, you know. Pain. Depression. Pining ...

In fact I am so worried, that my long-dormant blogfire ignited today and, well, here I am. The Delinquent Blogger. The One Who Struggles to...

Last Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of watching the Metropolitan Opera's really fine production of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte , ...

Happy spring, Readers! And not a moment too soon. :) I thought I would give you a family update and then hint at some plans I am gestating...

I am thrilled to share an amazing essay by my dear friend Daphne, about how music has made a difference in the life of her autistic son, Ben...

Yeah, we. As a culture. As parents. As teachers and grandparents and friends. Believe me, I've pondered this topic many, many times. T...

So, it's been more than three months since you've heard from The Nickel. Yes, I am still alive. Most days, at least. And still try...

It HAS been a while. A while since I've blogged here at The Striped Nickel. Since I've written anything much, beyond emails and ...

...and a propos of absolutely nothing, I wonder if Emily Bronte had Asperger's? According to the Google search I just conducted, other...

I'll bet the title of this post surprised you. You are not used to wonderful here at The Striped Nickel, are you? Well, if you've ...

First, let me say that Keeshonds (or, Keeshonden, if you want to be all correct and Dutch-like -- and I do recommend being Dutch-like becaus...

Well I'm not. I'm here, Readers. Sitting by Lars on the butterscotch couch. The Hellacious Hound is snoozing nearby, on the red rug,...

It is such an odd thing. He comes and goes like a dream. Hello, goodbye. This is not the way of most thirteen-year-old boys. The healthy...

Readers, next week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Were you aware of that? Would you do something for me? In Benjy's honor? Would ...

Is she dead? Destroyed by that fluffy monster who eats the brains of those who look him in the eye? Comatose from indulging in too many almo...

Don't let his goofy pose fool you. He's armed and dangerous. Pensive? Self-controlled? I think not.   Do NOT look him i...

Only it has another name. ("Breasts are not a Requirement." I kinda liked "Falsies" better, but I can see that's mor...

The title of this post is taken from a letter Charlotte Bronte wrote to her dear friend Ellen Nussey, just after her sister, Emily Bronte, d...

I smacked down Mr. Blake Irving, CEO of the domain hosting company that makes www.deborahvlock.com possible. In the nicest of ways, because...

Peoples? That happy post I promised you? He's right here. So comfortable he's almost comatose. Fluffier than a kitten named F...

I am getting better acquainted with my new Ways of Being. The new ways of hurting, for example. Joints and muscles that ache and throb. Legs...

Only because in my sense of injury and feelings of outrage, I wrote a piece that might sound callous towards children with progressive illne...

OK, I should probably never wield a pen (or keyboard) while pissed off. It usually results in something I deeply regret an hour later. Thi...