In these troubled and frankly downright scary times in our country, I need a little levity to get me through the day. Thankfully, late night TV hosts are my bae. I don’t care who the guests are on tonight’s show. I’m in it for the monologues. They are often flawless and talk about exactly what I am thinking, but afraid to say aloud. Other times, they come up with things I wish I thought of myself. Here are my top 4 faves in the order that I always watch them (on my DVR. I can’t stay up that late anymore).

• Late Night With Seth Myers – After a brief monologue, his segment “a closer look” brings an in-depth commentary on one or two issues of the day. It is brilliant. Google Seth Myers A Closer Look and you will see what I mean. Plus, his writer Amber – can I just say what, what!
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – If I can’t have Jon Stewart and my moment of zen, I’ll take Stephen Colbert. I’ve always liked him – even when he played a conservative blowhard on his old show. Still lovable. And musical. And just brilliant.
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – Speaking of Jon Stewart, I had my doubts about his replacement. I still wish Samantha Bee or Jessica Williams got the top spot. However, Trevor is smart, funny and I’ll just say it – sexy.
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! – I’ll admit that I was not a fan of his in the beginning. I’m not big on pranks or celebrities or celebrities that pull pranks. But Jimmy has a sensitive side and he isn’t afraid to cry on TV and share his life with the world. And I’ve become a fan.

Who do you watch on late night? P.S. John Oliver almost made this list, but I really have to pay attention to his monologues to get what he is saying and at 11 pm at night that is a lot to ask! Love you John! Can’t wait for you to come back in February!

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In my writing workshop, we were given the following prompt – “I am from…” I find myself thinking about the beginning of this sentence a lot and wondering how it ends. Not an easy question to answer, but a great window to look out at the world and figure out where I fit in. It could have so many meanings. This is what I have so far and I hope to spend 2018 adding more verses. Just like me, it is a work in progress. I am from that place where everybody knows my name, but they don’t really know me. And I am from the place where someone knows everything about me and loves me anyway. I am from that place in my heart where I like to find the good in everybody. And the place in my head where I come back to reality and see the world as it is. I am from that place in my core that wants to be organized and put together. And the place where I’m constantly looking for my car keys. I am from that place where I think I’ve got this parenting thing down pat And that place where the kids get older and change the rules on me. I am from that place of desperately wanting to be present in the moment. And the place where life gets in the way and the moment is gone. To be continued…

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I may not be able to get my family around the dinner table every night for a hot meal, but when there is a new jigsaw puzzle on my dining room table – the family bonding begins. When I was little, the first snowfall meant 3 things – hot chocolate, days off from school, and jigsaw puzzles. There was always something about putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle that facilitated great conversation, teamwork, lots of laughs and great memories. As an adult, I’m carrying on this tradition with my own kids. I started them out young with Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles and then they graduated to floor puzzles of the United States and modes of transportation. It didn’t take long for them to earn a spot at the dining room table for the main event. While my love of jigsaw puzzles has remained steady, my kids have had varied levels of interest. Andrew took to it quickly. As a lover of the Lego, he is a natural builder with qualities like patience and determination to succeed. Jenna, on the other hand, had a passing interest for many years. She would come and do a few pieces at a time and then become frustrated by the process and leave the table. But I always knew she would be back. 2017 is her year. She is now passionate about finding the right pieces and feels the satisfaction of linking them together in holy matrimony. And then, she keeps going – knowing another perfect match is right around the corner. As you can see, we really get into this. There are happy dances and high fives all around. We play music and a family sing-a-long is not unheard of. And we do have some rules about jigsaw puzzles that I’d like to share with you in case I’ve convinced you to try one with your loved ones.

• Choose your puzzle carefully – When selecting a puzzle at the store, don’t go for the 2,000-piece puzzle at first. You are just setting yourself up for failure. Go with a 500 or 1,000 pieces. Also, pick a puzzle that you would like to see come to life. This year, we have a dog park puzzle. Last year, we must have been hungry when we selected the doughnut themed one and two years ago, we were in a New York state of mind when we did two puzzles in one winter – Central Park and Times Square.
• Anyone can participate – Puzzles are fun for all ages and abilities. You can be a novice or an expert. And we are known for our multi-generation puzzle doers. We have had 3 generations working on a puzzle at once. We also invite neighbors and anyone else who wants to help. All are welcome.
• All methods are welcome – There are many ways to approach a jigsaw puzzle – by color, by section of the puzzle, or by the shape of the piece. Whatever floats your boat and you can change methods. No one will ever judge you.
• No fighting, except… – The only fighting allowed is over the box cover that features the entire puzzle. Also, it is not cheating to refer to the picture for help – just don’t keep it to yourself.

And most of all—have fun!

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