Category: Memoir

Memoir

Temper Tantrum

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

A temper tantrum is an emotional outburst characterized by sudden, intense displays of anger, frustration, or distress. They’re most commonly associated with young children (typically ages 1-4) but can occur at any age. In young children, tantrums are a normal part of development. They happen because toddlers have big emotions but limited language skills and self-regulation abilities. Common triggers include tiredness, hunger, overstimulation, or not getting what they want. Managing tantrums typically involves staying calm…

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Fiction/Humor Memoir Retirement

Looking, Acting and Being Old

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

We may occasionally try to pretend that the wisdom of age and perhaps the hurdles to attaining a ripe old age make the aged revered. Bullshit. The only honest comment along those lines is that growing old is better than the alternative. There is truth to the fact that wisdom and experience, which mostly only come with age, have value. If only I knew then what I know now is a very common thought that…

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Fiction/Humor Memoir

It’s a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

When I was 9 years old and living in the middle of Midwestern America, taking a weekly bath and eating Swanson TV dinners while my mother toiled away in graduate school, the blockbuster movie of the year was It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. This 1963 American comedy was produced and directed by Stanley Kramer and starred Spencer Tracy and the best known comedians of that era including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett,…

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Fiction/Humor Memoir

Proof of Life

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

As I have mentioned, I am going through the process of applying for dual citizenship from Italy by virtue of my father’s birthright as an Italian citizen. I am doing this for myself and my youngest son, Thomas, who really prompted the process. To do this we have to go through what is called a judicial review process and that requires a whole lot of documentation. The company I am using to do this is…

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Fiction/Humor Memoir

Under the Influence

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

The other day, Kim and I came to the realization that we had absolutely nothing planned for this weekend. Kim had no shows or show rehearsals. Due to school-ending season, most of the movies out in the market are kids movies. There were no neighborhood events. Nothing, not even necessary shopping chores. My daughter and her brood arrive next weekend and our dance card will be actively filled for a month with activities and lots…

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Business Advice Fiction/Humor Memoir

A Crisp White Shirt

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

At various times, the classic white shirt has been denigrated as stodgy and yet used repeatedly by cool dudes with the top few buttons open to exemplify the height of refined male couture. When I went to work in NYC after business school in 1976, the white shirt was more the former than the latter. It was legendary that if you worked at IBM you had no choice, you had to wear a white shirt…

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Memoir

What Matters

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

I am wide awake yet again tonight. If someone asked me if I have trouble sleeping, I don’t think I would say I do. But there are nights like tonight that are enough to make me wonder. I know all the things you are supposed to do to get a good night’s sleep and equally all the things you are supposed to not do to keep yourself from getting a good night’s sleep, but that…

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Memoir Politics

Betwixt

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

How are we supposed to feel about the U.S. bombing of Iran last night? For almost 50 years we and Iran have been at odds with one another. They have, indeed, called for the annihilation of both Israel and the U.S.. Thry have been at the center of much of the terrorism cloud that has blanketed the globe since 9/11 and before. Their fundamentalist way of life is anathema to our western liberal democratic ideology.…

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Memoir Politics

The Calm Before the Storm

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the United States and Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. It’s widely considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear conflict. I was eight years old at the time and living in the heartland of Madison, Wisconsin. While my mother got her graduate degrees at the University of Wisconsin, I attended Spring…

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Memoir

All Mink, No Knickers

By Rich Marin | by Rich Marin

My friend Steven and I had an exchange this morning that involved British witticisms. It started with “Bob’s your uncle” and went immediately to “And Fannie’s your aunt.” “Bob’s your uncle” is a classic British expression meaning “and there you have it” or “it’s as simple as that!” It’s used to indicate that something is easily accomplished or completed. For example: “Just add the flour, mix it in, and Bob’s your uncle – you’ve got…

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