Liesl has been a champion of PenTales (and our belief that stories are a powerful way to connect people from all walks of life) from the very start – back in the days of ‘yore when we first handed out notebooks to creative friends and asked them to write two […]

Today’s lesson comes from Meira’s story of love and banana bread. If you’ve ever rushed on to the wrong train or bus, or hurriedly left home without any of the things you need, than you’ve already learned this one the hard way too.

Ben shares his speculative experience at the Coffee Bean with us, and the allure, and danger, of getting carried away trying to guess at intentions.  

Debbie Weil is the mom of a dear friend of ours. We loved hearing her nuggets of wisdom because they show us that life is long and figuring out what we want is part of the process and, more importantly, part of the fun. Debbie admires her daughters for being […]

Jana shares a story about learning how to smell and being honest with our family members, it’s also about getting caught.

My father fled his dad’s restrictive Midwest world to move to New York’s downtown in the 1960’s, pursuing a career in art. As a bearded beatnik living on Crosby Street, Dad painted vivid, colorful canvasses and made papier-mâché masks. He met Mom at a party where she was the only […]

Don’s story of determination and optimistic adventure start this week off with a great lesson: you don’t always need to know what you want but when you do, go for it.

We were thrilled when this multi-talented lady –  activist, journalist, singer, political writer all wrapped in one – offered to share some nuggets of wisdom with us. Her recipe for happiness (and, we’re sure, to her success)? Be fearless, work hard, and knock on doors. We particularly loved that last nugget […]

Amanda Segur’s Irish mum is her hero. We understand why: she’s fearless, practical and loving. Needless to say, the results of her rearing speak for themselves: a daughter, who believes in doing good for good’s sake, never airing out your dirty laundry, and putting on a brave face (even when […]