36 Comments
Sep 11Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

Each post better than the last... the advice written by kids is priceless. Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly of your experiences. Being "ironized" feels to me a lot more like you describe it - being ironed by life and flattened repeatedly. But I believe in hope and have seen life change for the better in an instant so I'm choosing to keep that perspective even when I'm feeling flattened by life.

Expand full comment
author

Susan, your words are an exact expression of my struggle: brilliant comment.

Expand full comment
Jun 12Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

Well, you already had me with , When Harry met Sally. And then The Princess and the Frog. Starting a series with a big smile has certainly set my mood. Here I am at Chapter 3.

“There was no noise”

I find myself attached to the page.

Oh wait, I’ve just started Chapter 4 , ah, the land of perfection and just like that I’m falling through a fictional time warp with you, into reality. As my friend’s nephew said to him while hiking as they confronted a Skunk , ‘It’s bad, Uncle Cass, it’s really bad ‘.

Oh, that explains it, dating . Ok , ok, I’ll shut up and keep reading.

I have a few ‘words of wonder’ that came to mind throughout. Feel free to apply where you think applicable. I already have. I’ll start with my grandmother’s comment , if she were still alive, ( incidentally , Rabbi Hillel’s quote was one of her favorites) Oy ve, Shtunk, heroine, strength, tears for the beauty of your son. Whispers of sadness. Gorgeous.

“…with tears withheld but visible inside his eyes. I think of the way a lake holds back the sea’s surge as a storm pushes its force from afar.”

I love this whole story, my apologies for laying it all out after ‘I closed the cover’. It seemed the most appropriate way. Your use of Disney , humor, love stories, interspersed with the inhales and exhales of your life, is simply wonderful. I am glad Kimberly Warner gently nudged me over here. All peppered with a dose of humility .

I’ve learned a few things, ‘keepers’ I call them.

The strength it takes to be honest with yourself and act on it.

Know where your fault line is, and remember to dance on either side of it.

(Re)Making Love~

thank you Mary, for sharing it all.

I will answer your question. I married my high school sweet heart. First true love. And always.

Expand full comment
author

Oh, Lor, Such a wonderful comment about the whole memoir. Could you put it on NOTES, maybe? In any case, I love this comment, written so generously and openly and heart-baring, too! xo ~ Mary

Expand full comment

ok so you love Hugh Grant lol gotta love Julia's line in Notting Hill "i'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking for him to love her" or something like that....it doesn't have a ton of Com but what about "A Walk on the Moon" Diane Lane, Vigo? now thats a good one

Expand full comment
author

I haven't watched that one in a while, but I remember liking it. Will have to give it another run.

Expand full comment

its sorta if Bridges of Madison county happened in the Mrs. Maisel Catskills but better sex all around 😊🤣

Expand full comment
Apr 17Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

Aurelia! That scene crushes me every time. So wonderful and sappy with romantic love. Enjoying a Chapter per day. Thanks for sharing.

Expand full comment
author

Oh, CDUB, That means so much! Can't wait to hear more from you, ~ Mary

Expand full comment

I am really enjoying your story, Mary. I look forward each evening to sitting down and reading a chapter. You are a gifted writer, and I am invested! The anecdotes from the kids were icing on the cake.

Expand full comment
author

Oh my, Matthew Long, so glad and grateful that you are reading and commenting, too! Aren't those kids a "trip"! xo ~ Mary

Expand full comment
Mar 17Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

"Four Weddings and a Funeral" is also a fave of mine.

I like how your daughter shares this love for Rom Coms with you and you know when and where you watched them with her! I get the impression m. didn't care much for Rom Coms - or perhaps it's not mentioned because of his recent grief? If he did... the book may have turned out differently.

Expand full comment
author

I don't think I ever knew what m. thought about rom-coms--not for sure, anyway.

Expand full comment

I'm not sure about m.'s 'honesty'... after he leaves you dangling for 2 months?

I love the comments of the kids. That's refreshingly honest.

And of course I love reading such a well written story!!

Expand full comment
author

More about m. to come--and, you're right, I suspect, about his honesty. Maybe you're my good witch❣️.

Expand full comment
Feb 18Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

“Play dead.” 😂😂😂😂

And I love this line of yours: And the break in my heart that is not his fault, widened.

Expand full comment
author

Ah, Kimberly. I'll try that ... 🙏🏻

Expand full comment
author

Kimberly, I quoted you (not by name--being careful) in the video on the post coming up on Friday here for q #3 about serializing on Substack: https://marytabor.substack.com/p/write-it-and-this-writing-life You're such a find!

Expand full comment

This is getting real. The hearts breaks just as hard at 60, as it did at 16.

Expand full comment
author

Ben, apologies for the late reply. Indeed, just as you say. xo ~ Mary

Expand full comment
Sep 21, 2023Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

Makes me curious what it might have been like back in a primitive cave - no phone, mail, etc. No privacy, I presume. Our minds and emotions were 'born' in those millennia, not now. They are us.

Expand full comment
author

Great insight! Love your comments.

Expand full comment
Sep 9, 2023Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

PS one of my faves is Joe vs the Volcano. I quote it incessantly! 😍 "You're afraid of the commitment? You're gonna have to love and honor me for about 30 seconds."

Expand full comment
author

Too good! Love this ...

Expand full comment
Sep 9, 2023Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

This is brilliant. So many friends are doing the dating thing now, and oh the stories. Absolutely love the kid quotes!!!!

Expand full comment
author

Love the comment! Thank you.

Expand full comment
founding
Aug 30, 2023Liked by <Mary L. Tabor>

Those kids need bylines.

Expand full comment
author

They do! 😍

Expand full comment

Mary, oh, lover of the romcom of life, I think you need to know about my friend Billy Mernit. He wrote, as they say, the book on it, Writing the Romantic Comedy: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Romantic-Anniversary-Expanded-Updated-dp-0062950266/dp/0062950266/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Also has this old fashioned blog thing titled (would you believe) Living the Romantic Comedy: https://livingromcom.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Expand full comment
author

Thank you for reading, A. Jay. I'm off the check to these links. Then off to find that rom-com life ... still searching. xo

Expand full comment

Great great great. Laughed out loud. Also, so many comments about m. Oh boy. And yes. Let's hear it for Rom-Coms. For my interior see When Harry Met Sally and Notting Hill.

Expand full comment
author

Love your "interior" and YOU! Thank you, Eleanor.

Expand full comment

Great and open! Must have been somewhat difficult to keep the pen on paper. I guess airing out the dirty laundry is a good path to a clean soul. It gives me an opening to air out my early history and see if I could be so honest and remain interesting to my supposed readers.

Expand full comment
author

Great comment, Edward. Yep, risky business--but then with writing, "risk" is the name of the game.

Expand full comment