Imposition of Ashes and Other Impositions

Ever since Ash Wednesday I’ve been thinking about the word we use for having ashes smudged on our foreheads: the Imposition of Ashes. Dictionary.com defines imposition as: the laying on of something as a burden or obligation. I have childhood memories–real...

Holiday Blues

A friend of mine sent me an email the other day with the cryptic subject line: Oxymoronic Invitation. “Come hear Holiday Blues at Neil’s (a local restaurant/bar that hosts twice-a-month jam sessions for Memphis blues musicians).” But her double...