“What? WHAT THE F*CK?!” This is not a good way to start the day. Shuffling into the kitchen, putting on the kettle, flipping on the morning news—this is routine. The news flickers on and the announcer prefaces an upcoming clip about an officer-related fatal shooting of a black man. This is becoming routine. A horrifying, …
My Blog
You Got the Music in You
The husband and I own a lot of music. Our combined CD collection exceeds 400 albums, and about 15 years ago he acquired an obscene amount of ‘shared’ music from a C-shift lab computer at work. Our digital catalog now numbers around 5,000 songs; two MP3 players are dedicated mixes for both the 1980s and …
Sticky Stories: Notes from a Trade Show
One week ago today, I stretched way out of my comfort zone by participating as a vendor at the annual Women of Focus Trade Show. The one day event was the culmination of four months of expending time and money to prepare for my first big trade show. Why would a writer exhibit at a …
Valentina, A Dog.
My house is quiet. It’s been six months since we said goodbye to Elsa our cat, and just three months since we did the same for Valentina, our dog. Having for nearly a year nursed them both through their twilight, we knew when Elsa left us in August that Valentina would likely not be far …
Adventures in Babysitting: Indian Summer
Nephews K. & D. are growing bigger every day. Spending a day with them now, at ages 8 ½ and 10 ½, is more like having play buddies than babysitting. Outdoor activities are usually good choices when it comes to boys who never seem to stop moving, and this past Columbus Day the weather was …
Controlling Substance
I quit you because we didn’t agree, At the gut level. Life was fine enough, and I was strong and resolved; You were close by, every day, But, I didn’t “need” you. Truly. Your Cousin Sugar still comes by, Ours a sweet, warm, pedestrian relationship. You, I knew, could slay me. With you, it is …
Ping Pong Challenge
Compliments are important in a business where client testimonials and referrals can make or break your pipeline. If my work is good and people like it, sometimes they tell me, and I smile over’a job well done.’ If my work is good and people like it, sometimes they will tell other people. When that compliment …
Elsa, A Cat.
As a writer and a storyteller, it’s hard to admit that I don’t know how to begin. Something is missing. Not something practical like a pencil or keyboard. Not something existential like creativity. This isn’t writer’s block. The something missing is more like having moved to a new house that is almost exactly like your …
