View Sara Gootblatt's profile

Thank you, Esther Perrin! by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Favorite Teacher

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  If there were a fitting phrase to describe my academic prowess in elementary school, I believe I would have been described as an  “airhead”, My elementary school reports were mediocre.  My kindergarten report  card was sprinkled with a few “N’s” for “Needs Improvement”, and  the comment on my kindergarten report card  was  “talks too much…
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My Grandmother’s Treasures by
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(16 Stories)

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A Family Heirloom, treasured, but never used.
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And That’s The Way It ……Was by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Broadcast News

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My family was one of the last in our community to get a television.  Although my Dad was quite a “news wonk”, his current events information came from newspapers. and radio. Even after we got a t.v.  I don’t recall our family watching the  news very much. The legendary  names of the broadcasting greats from…
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From Sara to Sari to Sara by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By What's in a Name

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“You’re giving the baby the plain middle name of 'Jane' when you’re already sticking her with the name 'Sara'”?
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Why I write: A Haiku by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Why We Write

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School summer vacation compositions......ugh
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Why I write by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Why We Write

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Nostalgia for letter writing in the old fashioned way.
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Europe on 5 Memories a Day by
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(16 Stories)

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But here we were, far from  home, fresh, excited and full of expectations.  Even the toilet paper was an adventure as we filed into our first English restroom. “Government Property” was printed on its waxy finish
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My Father’s Legacy by
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(16 Stories)

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My Father's Religion was the Democratic Party
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Little Boy Lost by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Close Calls

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I left the big bad city for a safe haven.
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In Her Memory by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Nicknames

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In westerns, Sarah was always the “good woman”, never a dance hall gal.
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A Rude Awakening by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Finding Your Tribe

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Every Easter Sunday my mother dressed me, a Jewish child, in my best finery, fancy bonnet and all.  My older brother was discouraged from  going to  the local basketball court in his sweats and sneakers. The   unspoken message we were being taught was one of my mother’s cardinal rules of conduct called  a “shanda…
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A Father Lost by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Caregiving

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I kiss my father's smiling face.  Such a brilliant mind trapped by dementia
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Theater Glory Gone Wrong by
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(16 Stories)

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Written in response to Channel 56
I loved live theater (and still do!).  I saw my first Broadway show at the age of 5 and was smitten.  I imagined that someday I would sing, dance and act my way to stardom.  
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Television Came Late in my Early Life by
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(16 Stories)

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 I don’t remember being jealous, but  I went  into  “mooching mode” by  watching other peoples’ televisions.
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Retirement Travel by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Retirement

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...when we planned a trip to Southeast Asia after our double retirement from teaching, I took along  “The Lonely Planet”,  a guidebook for budget travelers and backpackers....wanting to relive our youthful adventures
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Sports Widow by
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(16 Stories)

Prompted By Super Bowl

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Sunday night, I could not figure out  a problem with my computer, so  I went into the den and asked my husband Lenny,  who was watching the Super Bowl, for a solution.   I started to carefully explain the situation , when  suddenly I realized that I was rambling on and conversing with myself.  “Can’t this wait until half-time?” Lenny asks.  I paused and mused……I was having a sports widow moment.
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