Author Archives: jzbrence
The Suburban Dictionary
Entry #2: Jaunt Old meaning: (noun) – a short journey or excursion for pleasure “We took a lovely jaunt into the countryside today.” New meaning: (noun) – a generic substitute for any object or thing “I didn’t feel like doing … Continue reading
Homecoming
It’s been nearly three decades since I graduated from high school, but October still means homecoming to me. That’s because it’s the month of my annual get-together with my high school girlfriends. The ten of us live all over the … Continue reading
The Suburban Dictionary
A few years ago, the word “swag” had a bit of a moment. My daughters were in middle school at the time and I remember hearing them say it over and over again. The funny thing was that their understanding … Continue reading
Welcome to the Dark (Leafy Green) Side
It’s January, the most virtuous month of the year. The rampant excess of the holiday season has given way to a universal desire for a fresh start. Everywhere you look, people are flocking to gyms, overhauling diets and cleaning out … Continue reading
The Heart of a Home
April in Virginia means daffodils, dogwoods and Historic Garden Week. Each year, several hundred of the most impressive homes and gardens around the state are open for public tours, thanks to the efforts of the Garden Club of Virginia. The … Continue reading
You Are What You Click
One of the downsides of social media is that it tends to make other people’s lives look a LOT more interesting than our own. Our feeds are flooded with posts about exotic vacations, amazing kids and stunning home renovations. Never … Continue reading
Odd Couples
There was certainly no shortage of confusion following the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He was found in bed at a remote hunting resort in Texas and, according to news reports, had declined a security detail, so … Continue reading
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert (2015) Q. What is creativity? A. The relationship between a human being and the mysteries of inspiration. When people hear that I’m a blogger, they often ask how I come up … Continue reading
What Moms Do
Have you seen the latest “It’s What You Do” commercial from Geico? The beginning looks like something out of a James Bond movie, with a gang of villains chasing a handsome agent through an industrial landscape. Just as the leading … Continue reading
Go Set a Watchman
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (2015) Rarely has a book been as highly anticipated as Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. The discovery of a long-lost manuscript by the author of the beloved classic To Kill a Mockingbird … Continue reading
