Author Archives: Liza Blue

My Life in Stockings

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Liza Blue

The Debut The girls’ dress code in my 1960s grade school consisted of a skirt or jumper, sturdy Oxford shoes and bobby sox or knee socks in the winter.  Stockings were not permitted.  Bare legs were allowed, but not a … Continue reading →

Posted in My Life in... | 1 Comment

Hard Boiling It

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Liza Blue

Forty five years ago a friend introduced me to the crime fiction author, Ross MacDonald and his detective Lew Archer, a descendant of the hard-boiled detectives Sam Spade (Dashiell Hammett) and Phillip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler)   I devoured the series, reveling … Continue reading →

Posted in Murder Mystery | 2 Comments

Pandemic Ponderings: Heinous Division

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Liza Blue

“In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.” For … Continue reading →

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Pandemic Ponderings: Sports Edition

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Liza Blue

The visceral up-chuck I experience at the sound of Trump’s voice, or the imitation of his voice, makes me a dangerous driver.  Therefore, I generally listen to sports radio in the car, as it is reliably a no-Trump station.  As … Continue reading →

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Lists: Words to Live By

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Liza Blue

1.  Think Before You Stink —- 6th grade teacher The devastating consequences of this grade school adage only became apparent in my professional life.  I was working against a deadline for an article on PET scans, a new and controversial … Continue reading →

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Pandemic Ponderings: The Anatomy of a Joke

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Liza Blue

The corona pandemic has birthed an outpouring of creative humor, from elaborate song parodies to simple one liners. I have transmitted the following with great success, from appreciative smiles to outright guffaws. “Did you hear, they have found a way … Continue reading →

Posted in Such is Life | 1 Comment

Podcast: Pandemic Ponderings

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Liza Blue

Pandemic humor.  What makes it funny? Follow Liza Blue on: Share:

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When Truth is Not Enough: From Non-Fiction to Fiction

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Liza Blue

The decision seemed trivial.  Nick and I were cleaning out my parent’s farmhouse after they died.  Only my mother’s piano was left, a big clumsy thing with pock-marked and tuneless keys.  Phil, the caretaker, couldn’t find anyone to take it.  … Continue reading →

Posted in What I Did | 1 Comment

Open Letter to Publishers of The New Yorker

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Liza Blue

Dear Publishers, I am writing to request a special type of subscription.  I’m willing to pay full price but please only send me every other issue.  The time commitment of a weekly New Yorker would be beyond my grasp and … Continue reading →

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My Crepiness

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Liza Blue

The afternoon sun can be cruel for those who care about tidiness, its shallow-angled rays highlighting each individual dust mote, both on the ground and in the air.  However, I find peace in knowing that a perfectly clean house is … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature | 1 Comment