Remember a few years ago when everywhere you looked, there was a woman reading Untamed by Glennon Doyle? Women in Starbucks, women on airplanes, women on the beach, all heeding the call at the same time? I didn't read it. As a rule, I avoid any book that is wildly popular because those books are... Continue Reading →
Chin Up
I was sitting in a doctor's office this morning when I noticed a glob of children's toothpaste smeared on the back of my hand. It had been hours since I'd brushed the kids' teeth, so I only knew what the sticky goop was because it was blue and smelled like fake fruit. It was a... Continue Reading →
How, exactly?
I have well-documented anxiety, and have recently begun discussing it with a therapist again. Why, you ask, wouldn't I be in a constant state of therapy if I know I have anxiety? Because I very much dislike crying. I get an awful headache after I cry, and it's obviously embarrassing and exhausting, but I also... Continue Reading →
Down For the Count
I'm entering night three of a bout of unnamed illness, and currently typing from an awkward reclined position because being upright for more than a few minutes is a non-starter. Coffee and dim lighting for the headache, blankets and sweater for the chills. It's not vertigo, more like motion sickness, where nodding or turning my... Continue Reading →
It’s Probably Stress
While I was on vacation, I ate bread that did not make my stomach upset. When I returned, I ate the same bread and felt sick. A rational person might just stop eating bread that made them ill, but I adore bread. My favorite food is sandwiches (like Joey from Friends) and no it is... Continue Reading →
When Chaos Ensues
Those of you who follow me or my family on social media may be familiar with the story I'm about to tell, so I apologize in advance, but I'm going to tell it anyway. Mary, testing her Nana's limits for human contact during hour 457 of our life at the Charlotte airport. Last week we... Continue Reading →
Sleepless in El Paso
When the stitches aren't the only major story of the week, you know to send wine and fully vaccinated in-home masseuse, right? Yikes. In the last week, we've intercepted four sleepwalking adventures. One was my middle kid, Archie, who I suppose has been sleepwalking for a couple years, but he rarely walks anywhere, so I... Continue Reading →
Love to the Max
Even before I started transitioning to minimalism I had problems with gifts. I gave "needs" that were practical when my husband and family were hoping for "wants," and nothing would stress me out more than opening presents in front of other people. This custom still baffles me. Anxiety has been an ever-present guest star in... Continue Reading →
Spit Spot
I got my own apartment in the age of Swiffers, Clorox wipes, and first generation Roombas, and my subsequent homes suffered as a result. Instead of learning how to get things clean, I saw advertisements for ways to make cleaning easier which, it turned out, didn't actually clean anything. Roombas were new and we got... Continue Reading →
Werk
I don't have a real job, with W2s and end-of-year bonuses, so I was surprised when my husband told me that I "make everything into work." I work, don't get me wrong, but I haven't had a job outside the home in more than ten years. Efficiency is important to me, and since discovering minimalism... Continue Reading →