2020 “Oh gosh,” I hear you mutter (from a distance of at least six feet away), “A tidy li’l 2020 wrap-up? You shouldn’t have.” (Really, I won’t.) (Not too much, anyhow.) Because, friends, this year…defies a tidy li’l anything. (And, yes, I state this from a position of dizzying, boggling privilege. Even from this sky-high perch…it ain’t tidy.) At best, it’s been an upending kinda year. At worst, it’s been the stuff of nightmares, the stuff that’s made the noun {Read More}
If 18 year-old Me saw me now. (A helpful primer!)
March 1, 2019 By Leave a Comment
20 years ago, I was a college freshman. I had plans back then, you guys. Like Plans in capital letters. I was thinking about this baby version of myself the other day as I was living my fully grown, decidedly non-college freshman life. This train of thought quickly turned to “Oh my goodness, what would 18 year-old Me think if she were plopped down into my 2019 day?” (I can’t be the only one who has thoughts like this every {Read More}
Valentine’s Day & mental illness & I promise this one ends well.
February 14, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Yes, this one concerns a bit o’ mental illness… But it’s really a Valentine’s Day story. (With a tiny bit of mental illness all up in there too.) I promise that it is. So. Back when I was little, I was convinced that the perfect Valentine’s Day involved cellophane-wrapped hearts and truckloads of roses and lilies and Golden Era romantic comedies on a loop. (To be quite honest, that is the perfect Valentine’s Day. It just is.) But as I’ve {Read More}
10 years ago today. (An anniversary story.)
May 24, 2018 By 1 Comment
10 years ago today: I wore an absolutely gigantic lily in my absolutely gigantic hair 10 years ago today. P.J. chose that morning- of all mornings- to attempt shaving against the grain. Our geriatric organist appeared to be having a stroke during roughly half of the ceremony. My throat, which had been scratchy for the prior week, was downright on fire for the entire day. Our professional photographer made some odd creative choices: among them, neglecting the majority of the {Read More}
Marriage. (And other things I’ve totally solved.)
March 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Things that I, an expert, can tell you about marriage: Marriage is super wonderful. Marriage is incredibly, stupidly hard. (But it’s mostly wonderful.) (Except when it’s mostly hard.) Two thirds of all marital fights stem from at least one party leaving a household item in the incorrect location. Eight thirds of them involve a spouse “acting weird” about something. The phrase “just tell me what’s wrong because I don’t want to start a fight” invariably leads to a fight. Ways {Read More}
Cold & flu & terror & the apocalypse
February 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
I’m terrified of cold and flu season. …But I’m not terrified of colds and the flu for the reasons you might expect. (Unexpected Illness Terror: a book of contemplative poetry by Keely Flynn, coming soon.) I mean, there’s plenty to be afraid of. Kids throwing up is gross. Body aches and sinus pain make you regret life choices, like choosing to have a life where you catch the flu. And, at least in this news cycle, this is the worst {Read More}
