Don't Gel Too Soon

The Vietnam Moratorium, 40 Years Ago Today

Cynthia Samuels — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:39:46 PDT

It wasn't that long ago - not really. Thousands of us singing "All we are saying, is give peace a chance" on the Mall in Washington. It all started when Sam Brown, David Hawk, David Mixner, Marge Sklenkar, John Gage...

Happy Mountain Day - and May There Be Many More

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:33:10 PDT

When you're nineteen or twenty and living in a college dorm in western Massachusetts life is beautiful. Especially in the morning. There's something about a New England morning that feels like a new beginning. If you're in the country, that's...

Memories of Peter, Paul, and Mary Travers

Cynthia Samuels — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:50:45 PDT

The first time I ever heard Peter Paul and Mary I was 15 and spending the summer at a writing program at Exeter Academy - the first year they ever let "girls" into the school at all. I remember loving...

So Long Patrick, and Thanks

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:29:41 PDT

Does anybody not love Dirty Dancing? At least for the many of us who were the darling Frances "Baby" Houseman, the idealistic, embryonic 60's activist, Daddy's girl for her brains, not her looks, the film is a misty, wonderful time...

9/11 Predicted the Role of Bloggers (I'm Not Kidding)

Cynthia Samuels — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:29:43 PDT

I don't know about you, but 9/11 footage still wipes me out. It doesn't get any easier to watch. But this morning MSNBC was running the first few hours of coverage from the TODAY SHOW in real time and I...

Now That Wasn't So Bad, Was It? The President and the Kids

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:52:00 PDT

I'm going to post the entire Obama schools speech because it's so ridiculously safe and regular and parental and sweet -- perfect evidence of how insane this whole battle has been. See for yourself. Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama...

OK So I'm Mad

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:36:13 PDT

It's been a lazy weekend. Both Sunday papers got read. The COSTCO run was made (but not the bed.) We went out for three different meals so cooking was minimal. But the news is really pissing me off. We've reduced...

For Ellie Greenwich, Who Really WAS Leader of the Pack, With Thanks

Cynthia Samuels — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:31:41 PDT

When our kids were little, we used to sing. All the time. And early on, many of the songs they loved were written by this woman: Ellie Greenwich. She was a tough cookie I think. She was also one of...

The Amazing Don Hewitt: CBS News, Conventions, 60 Minutes and Me

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:27:26 PDT

You probably saw the 60 Minutes tribute to Don Hewitt last night; I had meant to write about him when he died, got distracted and then, last night, realized I couldn't not (if you forgive the double negative) recall him...

Last Day in London, for Now, and What Did I Find?

Cynthia Samuels — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:35:57 PDT

This bench sits along the Thames, on the South Bank, between Waterloo and BlackFriars Bridges. It's a nice bench. Since we leave London tomorrow I had my last walk along the river today. And it gave me a gift. I...

Back to the Future: Futurism at the Tate and 1968

Cynthia Samuels — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:10:34 PDT

In the early 20th Century there was a band of wild men who created an entire new way of thinking about "Art." They were called Futurists and for those of you who took Art 11 and already know about them,...

Hooray for Justice Sotomayor but I'm in London SO Let's Look at These

Cynthia Samuels — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:59:41 PDT

You're going to love Borough Market, right across from the London Bridge Tube Station and just off the Thames. Amazing olive bread Do you believe these? Gorgeous! (My favorite picture) And these? Well,that's that. Here we go out, take a...

Colbert, The Word and Woodstock

Cynthia Samuels — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:58:38 PDT

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cThe Word - Hippie Replacementwww.colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTasersI know, I"m in London and I should stop putting up videos of TV shows. But I love this one. And, it's what we...

Are You Sure We're in London? A Day's Worth of Starbuck's Sightings

Cynthia Samuels — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:57:32 PDT

On Long Acre, around the corner from our hotel. On Southampton Row, in Bloomsbury (Do you think Virginia would have gone there? On Tavistock Square (sorry for the blur) On St. Martin's Lane, right next door to The Duke of...

It's Hard, Ain't It Hard, Ain't It Hard, Ain't It Hard: the No Good, Awful, Terrible, Very Bad Day

Cynthia Samuels — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:27:10 PDT

Sometimes things are so sad, and so hard, and not your story to tell - and they follow you in and out of rooms and around corners and out into the street and you feel like you're riding on some...