No more nasty aerosols or overpriced faux- scented potpourri for us! A thrifty bitch brews up her own home scents. Mix herbs and spices with a cup or two of  water. Bring to a boil , turn to a slow simmer and release the delicious fragrance. We love a mixture of  cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon.  Make your own combinations using rosemary, lavender, peppercorns, juniper berries,  star anise, orange peels… Spa for free.

 Let’s ponder what $1.4 billion will do to “drive education reform” and save jobs in Pennsylvania—from the perspective of a povertized, disabled, overeducated, Latina mestiza single mother of four.

My friend Penelope.... I sent my friend Penelope my website link the other night. I told her about being surprised at seeing web books and job search articles mentioning getting a website and creating a 'web presence'. I told her how I felt about it. I told her how it so surprised me to hear “get a Facebook account”....and “if you don't have a website, why not?” and on and on about how awkward it feels to be writing websites about yourself.

I’ve written about those moments where you connect, just for a moment, with a person you don’t know. I refer to that heady phenomenon as Synchronized Strangers. I love those moments but, in truth, what makes those instances magical is the fact that we usually never see those individuals again. That moment lingers in memory alone.