Starting today, with the sole exception of the 9 a.m. post about censorship, there will be no more posts on Saturday or Sunday. I meant to write and say, NONE! But I could not resist the story about cartoonist Art Spiegelman.

If there is breaking news, I will post it.

Otherwise, enjoy your weekend.

I wish everyone who reads this blog a happy, healthy New Year.

May 2025 be a year in which we feel strong resolve to stand up for our democracy, our values, our families, our communities, ourselves.

Don’t let anyone push you around.

Stand up for what is right.

Be kind to others, especially strangers.

Seek common ground to solve common problems.

Take long walks.

Hug those you love.

Read books.

Visit a museum.

Take care of yourself and others.

Take care of your mind, body, and spirit.

Be good to yourself.

Diane

Wherever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. I wish you happiness, joy, and many reasons to smile in the year ahead.

I don’t know about you, but I find Christmas to be both a time of joy and a time of sadness. It brings back childhood memories–memories of family that have grown more sentimental as I grow older. I remember the laughs, the minor mishaps, the anticipation, and the presence of loved ones who are no longer with us.

Although I am Jewish, my family always had a Christmas tree, which we decorated; I loved hanging the long strands of tinsel. I had seven brothers and sisters. We all waited in great excitement for the stroke of midnight so we could hurry downstairs to open our presents.

My parents are long gone. Three of my siblings have died. Christmas will never be the same.

Enjoy your family, whatever their ages. Have a lovely Christmas and turn the day into a celebration of love, peace, kindness, and compassion.

About a year ago, the veterinarian operated on our dog Mitzi and told us (my wife Mary and me) that she has cancer.

Mitzi had three surgeries in one year. The first one was to remove a tumor on her leg that had grown to the size of an avocado. Three different vets said to leave it alone; do nothing. But then it burst and it had to be removed. It was benign. A few months later, she had a growth on her eyelid. We took her to a canine opthamologist, who cut it out and stitched her eyelid. It was benign.

Then another large tumor on a different leg; the vet operated and it was malignant. It was a “soft-tissue sarcoma.” It was “grade 3,” the worst. He said he tried to get it all out, but was not hopeful. Prognosis: maybe seven months, at best a year.

We began taking Mitzi to a canine oncologist. We told him no heroic treatments, because we believed we had hurt our last dog by subjecting her to too much treatment in a hopeless effort to save her. This time: No radiation, no heavy-duty chemicals. The vet understood. He prescribed a once-a-day pill plus supplements for arthritis. We saw him monthly.

Through all of this, Mitzi continued to be a happy, playful, loving dog. She loves people and other dogs. She weighs nearly 100 pounds and has a big smile. Her coat is a dark, dark brown that looks black. She has white paws that look like mittens (that’s why we named her Mitzi). Her DNA showed that she is 30% German Shepherd, plus 11% Siberian Husky, some Alaskan Malamute, and a little bit of other breeds. A friend found her in a shelter in Hayward, California, in 2012 and brought her to Brooklyn for us. when we asked what breed she is, the friend said, “Think of it this way: Her mother was a mutt, her father was a mutt. They met once.”

Over the past year, I walked her 3-5 times a day. I gave her the cancer pill, probiotics, arthritis meds, whatever she needed, every day. She went through bouts of diarrhea and uncontrollable urinating. For the past few weeks, she’s been wearing a diaper. I am the Dog Guardian, so these are my responsibilities.

On June 25, a week ago, we went to the oncologist. He said we should discontinue the cancer pill because Mitzi has been cancer-free for a year. Was she cured? No, it could return in the future. But for now, she is officially cancer-free.

That’s the best birthday present ever!

I had another terrific birthday present: I learned late last night that Columbia University Press is going to publish my memoirs! Why late last night? Because I missed the email informing me on Thursday.

What a great day!

I’m five years older than Joe Biden and still fighting.

Friday night birthday dinner at the River Cafe in Brooklyn, a gift from my wife Mary, a wonderful partner and friend.

And at the Commencement ceremonies of Wellesley College, my alma mater, President Paula Johnson announced that my family had funded a professorship in my name in the Education Department: The Diane Silvers Ravitch 1960 Chair for Public Education and the Common Good. The first holder of the Chair is Professor Soo Hong.

I am loving this day!

One of the joys of living in New York City is the vibrant cultural life. This winter, we have seen several plays and gone twice to the Metropolitan Opera.

In December, we saw Puccini’s La Boheme at the Met, which is a wonderful opera.

Last week, we got cheap (but excellent) seats for Puccini’s Turandot. The music and singing were outstanding, as were the gorgeous sets.

And I noticed that the seat in front of me had a name plaque on it, honoring someone who had made a generous donation. The plaque said “Judge and Mrs. Samuel I. Rosenman.” The name was familiar but I couldn’t place it. I couldn’t google during intermission because there was no guest internet service.

I googled when I got home and learned that Judge Rosenman was one of FDR’s closest associates. Wikipedia said that he wrote almost every speech that FDR gave, and he assembled FDR’s brain trust of advisors. Reading more, I learned that the granddaughter of Judge and Mrs. Rosenman is married to Merrick Garland.

What’s the point? Small world. History is all around us. Can you believe it?