Nobody’s gonna count down to midnight with more zeal than me. In this, my “Year of Yes”, I’ve: got multiple tatts and piercings bungee-jumped sky-dived (dove?) sat through a live opera adopted a dog and twelve cats been a surrogate for an infertile friend Next up: my Year of NO. Mary Steer only has her … Continue reading MARY STEER: Happy New Year
Carrie won’t have dairy. Jonah won’t touch meat. The Quarringtons are vegan. What do they all eat? No gluten, no fructose, no nuts of any kind, no eggs and no bananas—I think I’ve lost my mind. Dinner parties are such a drain—I’ll emulate Hannibal and just serve brain. Mary Steer often wonders why no one … Continue reading MARY STEER: Dorothy Parker’s Dinner Party
Temperatures soar in the day and plummet at night, here in this God-forsaken desert. Stretching to the unimaginable horizon are miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. Don’t leave your car, they said. Our rations are finished. Our water is finished. I love you, we tell each other. Mary Steer enjoys writing stories … Continue reading MARY STEER: Waiting
They say women use 20,000 words per day. I believe it. Since we got the kitten, my wife’s vocabulary has been reduced to “cutie pootie”, “diddy thing”, “kittiness”. Never thought I’d say this, but I miss the old days. There were too many words, but at least there was variety. Mary Steer finds herself mildly … Continue reading MARY STEER: The Cat’s Got Her Tongue
Did we do January? Let me think… Gosh, I don’t remember. Me neither. We’d better make sure of February, yes? No. I’m too tired tonight. Always seems one of us is too tired. And February is a short month. Yes, but at least this is a leap year. Goodnight, dear. Mary Steer is a word … Continue reading MARY STEER: Pillow Talk
Alone again herself, she saw the loneliness of others. Stray mittens and gloves in parking spaces, on snowbanks and sidewalks. She brought them home, washed and dried them, wore them as others wear mismatched socks. Now when she claps her hands the soft thick sound makes her broken heart glad. Mary Steer is a word … Continue reading MARY STEER: Miss Match
Do everything differently from last year. Say “yes” when you would’ve said “no” and “no” when you would’ve said “yes”. Refuse to take “no” for an answer. Take risks. Be daring and bold. Socialize. Date. Accept invitations. If it doesn’t work, then next year: Do everything differently from last year. Mary Steer is a word … Continue reading MARY STEER: New Year’s Resolution
The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month. The finalists for December were: Never Grow Up by Ksenia Bezvikonnaya New Beginnings by Joey To Hopeful by Maura Yzmore The Cruelest Part by Dave Novak Happy New Year by Mary Steer They Only Ask, What’s Next? … Continue reading STORY OF THE MONTH: December 2017
The story of the week for December 25 to 29 is… A rare double! They Only Ask, What’s Next by Kara Johnson-Martinez Happy New Year by Mary Steer
The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month. The finalists for January were: New Year’s Resolution by Mary Steer Waiting to be a Good Samaritan by Paul Beckman Obsessive by Brandon Barrows Her Finest Work by James P. Spitznogle The Dead’s Weight by Eldar Levin … Continue reading STORY OF THE MONTH: January 2016