Author: Iris Ruth Pastor

I am not a psychologist. I’m not an expert in human relationships nor a researcher into the human brain and psyche. I’m just a plain ordinary person trying to live her best life in harmony with my family. Here’s how I truly believe you can achieve family harmony: LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS ThIs revelation did not Continue reading

I have a grandson who will soon be turning 18. I thought buying a birthday present for him would be very easy. Why? Because he loves Legos and goodness knows, the sheer variety of things to be built with Legos is endless. Imagine my dismay, when he nixed my idea quite succinctly. I take it Continue reading

When Did This House Become Home? I stood at the window and watched the rain. The trees were still barren, although the buds were just starting to appear all over the wobbly branches. Across the street, I could see the lights in my neighbor’s kitchen. I turned around to face the room. My antique cookie Continue reading

I admit I have a soft spot for World War II veterans – also known as “The Greatest Generation”. They were born between 1901 and 1927 and they were powerfully impacted by both the Great Depression and World War II. Tom Brokaw, in his book The Greatest Generation first coined the term – based on how these Continue reading

What Do I Love?Lists! I love thinking about them. I love making them. I love organizing them. And I LOVE crossing items OFF of them! Why am I so enamored by Lists? Lists quantify and provide a sense of progress and completeness Lists simplify – breaking down information into easily digestible bite-size chunks Lists create Continue reading

Father’s Day is coming up soon – on June 21. Never too early to start planning how to honor our dads. And I hope the below column jumpstarts your thoughts on how to honor the man whose genes you carry. Father’s Day memories are most poignant when specific. I love it when every year my research turns up Continue reading

Dear Sophie, Benjy, Charlie, Bobbie, Lucy, Levi, Remi and Zoe,  Your Nana is not perfect – which probably will come as no surprise to you – as who knows what my loving sons say about me in the privacy of their own homes. Hee Hee! Either way – by my own admission right now or your dads’– Continue reading

I’m driving down the highway half listening to NPR in my car. “Florida Matters Live & Local” is on the air and Dr. Deby Cassill, an associate professor of biology at USF, is chatting about the role of love bugs in the ecosystem and how in the past they inflicted damage on our cars’ paint Continue reading

Nancy Pelosi – after an almost 40-year run in the United States Congress – has retired. Pelosi, 86 years old, often talks about “time running short”.  My sentiments exactly and I’m eight years younger than Nancy. My own mother was always in a hurry – and I never understood her sense of cosmic rushing until Continue reading

15 Reasons Why I Could Divorce My Husband He never throws away his used tissues – rather, he leaves the crumpled up messes on any available surface – for me to dispose of them. His organizational method post-retirement is to throw everything he needs to deal with in his grandmother’s wicker wash basket and go Continue reading