From the Editor

Dame Maggie Smith as Aunt Ruth in "A Boy Called Christmas"

By Jacqui BanaszynskiAs I indulged in my morning obsession of scanning news headlines one day last week, I paused on something called “napkin stories.” The tease I got included a…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiStoryboard does not indulge in easy click bait. But I would be foolish to ignore a legitimate opportunity to tap the drawing power of Taylor Swift.There’s this week’s…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiThe gratitude essay I wrote recentlyhas given back in multiples — which is how gratitude is supposed to work. I’ve received several lovely notes in response, including one…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiGratitude is hot. Researchers study its benefits on health, happiness and longevity. Therapists teach it as a grounding activity that puts anxiety in perspective. Philosophers write all manner…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiOn Wednesday last week, I had a plan for the newsletter: All manner of tidbits were collecting in a file and it was time to use the best…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiAccording to the adage, people don’t regret the things they did in life — only those they didn’t.I don’t buy it — anymore than I buy the assurance…

In frenzied times and a strained news economy, editors are often the first to be cut — just when they are needed more than ever

By Jacqui BanaszynskiJet lag clawed at me for days after getting home from writing workshops in Romania. My return flights involved cancellations, delays, the demand to check a bag I…

By Jacqui BanaszynskiI have a tendency to notice odd juxtapositions in the news. Many baffle me to the point of annoyance, as when a major news site tells me, on…