Tag Archives: Expat Life

This Lousy Pandemic Script

A few days ago I watched an online talk featuring two of my favorite writers, Neil Gaiman and Nora K. Jemisin (you can find it here  here). At one point they note that this pandemic is not the apocalypse that … Continue reading

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America and the Royals

Why are Americans so obsessed with the British royal family? You’d think, having fought a whole war over the issue of getting out from under a capricious royal-led government, that Americans would be oblivious to the goings on at the … Continue reading

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Philadelphia Bleeds Green!

Americans are huge sports fans, not just the big four sports — baseball, basketball, (ice) hockey, and (American) football — but pretty much anything that involves competition. They also love underdogs and stories of teams/players beating-the-odds. Which explains why the … Continue reading

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Deep Freeze Update

The word ‘cold’ doesn’t begin to describe it. We got about three inches of snow yesterday morning then the temperature plummeted. As I write this post at midday on Friday it’s warmed up to all of 15 degrees here in … Continue reading

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Happy Freezing New Year!

Winter arrived with a vengeance a couple of weeks ago in this part of the USA, and it doesn’t look like leaving anytime soon. The temperature has stayed below freezing for days and everyone is huddled in heavy coats, hats, and … Continue reading

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Update from Apocalypse Central

I haven’t written much on here in recent weeks, in large part because each successive news cycle seems to bring some event so devastating that I just don’t know where to start. But first, I should make it clear that … Continue reading

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The Sound of Summer

The heat of summer brings a distinctive sound to the eastern USA — not children playing or lawnmowers thrumming but the incessant shrill buzz of the cicada. As humans we’re often not aware of the soundscapes that form the background … Continue reading

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The Mosquitoes Are Back: Summer in Philadelphia

Summer has arrived on the eastern seaboard. I know this not because of the date or the temperature (although they are both relevant), but because I’ve just been inflicted with the first mosquito bite of the season. The calendar says … Continue reading

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The 13 Things I Miss Most About Britain (and the 4 Things I Definitely Don’t)

People often ask me: What do you miss the most about Britain? The obvious answer is certain people, particularly the bevy of nieces and nephews who are now producing offspring of their own. Beyond that, it’s actually a hard question … Continue reading

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Spring is sprung!

Spring has definitely sprung here in the eastern USA, bringing lovely colors, cascades of pollen, and a resurgence in wildlife. The trees around the neighborhood are sporting their spring finery, with pink and white blossoms everywhere. Even the non-blossom trees … Continue reading

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