In which I consider a career change One of my more bizarre priorities in this pandemic-induced wilderness has been maintaining access to good cheese. Don’t roll your eyes at me, it’s a legitimate concern. (Difficult enough in non-troubled times, if you ask me.) Anyway, I did recently happen upon some quality Gouda—tangy but mild, probablyContinue reading “A Brief History of Gouda”
Author Archives: Cecilia Gigliotti
One Great Music Video: “Sledgehammer”
In which I get animated A literary magazine recently sent me one of the best rejection letters I could hope for. Even if the short story in question didn’t make their cut, they did call the opening sentence ‘a sledgehammer of engagement.’ This was pretty good bad news because 1) I had done something right,Continue reading “One Great Music Video: “Sledgehammer””
Is Hawkeye Pierce the Perfect Character?
In which I ponder the big questions in the dregs of a limited-resources martini The past few days have sparked a debate in my home country (that is, on my home country’s social media) over just how many doctors, real or fictional, are more qualified than Dr. Phil to assess the threat posed by COVID-19.Continue reading “Is Hawkeye Pierce the Perfect Character?”
Always hoped that I’d be an Apostle…
In which I dive down the rabbit-hole I warned you about way back when Holy Week is one of my favorite times of year, ostensibly because it’s the high point of the Church calendar and all that, but really because it grants me total immunity to have Jesus Christ Superstar—the original 1970 concept album—on anContinue reading “Always hoped that I’d be an Apostle…”
Scott & Zelda Get Hitched
In which I celebrate an historic union One hundred years ago yesterday—on 3 April 1920—F. Scott Fitzgerald of Minnesota and Zelda Sayre of Alabama were married at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. They had known each other a year and a half and the letters were intense. Scott had recently been the latestContinue reading “Scott & Zelda Get Hitched”
Words & Phrases That Need to Die
In which I do a snatch of etymological spring cleaning Welcome back to the quarantine club, all. As the current, possibly false, warm spell increasingly causes us to actually take note of the outside world, we may find—at least I have—that a bit of spring cleaning is in order. Which I think goes especially forContinue reading “Words & Phrases That Need to Die”
‘Breakfast’ Epiphanies
In which I poke at a kooky classic With all this extra time on my hands lately, I figure I might as well get as much of a cinephile’s education as Netflix will allow. Leading me, the other night, to watch the 1961 Blake Edwards-directed Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Based on Harper Lee’s best work. JustContinue reading “‘Breakfast’ Epiphanies”
Life During COVID-19
In which a global health crisis is explained by the lyrics of Talking Heads Every so often there is an event which inspires worldwide dread. (By ‘worldwide’ I really mean that the dread which exists constantly in less developed portions of the world is acknowledged by the developed West, and especially the United States, whichContinue reading “Life During COVID-19”
Not Like Other Girls
In which I join in the killing of a trope Happy March, all! It’s been a couple weeks. I’d intended to acknowledge Leap Day in any number of ways (insert Pirates of Penzance reference); but Nature had other plans, namely laying me up in bed with a cold. Now that I’m back up and running,Continue reading “Not Like Other Girls”
Cathedral, Karneval, Köln
In which I contemplate a schism My time as a Berliner has given me to understand that Berlin is no more Germany than London is England. This past Friday and Saturday proved it. Or so I expected. What I found upon arriving was not a staunchly German counterpart to the capital city on the oppositeContinue reading “Cathedral, Karneval, Köln”