Published in Crow’s Feet·PinnedMember-onlyCamelback Mountain Kicked My AssAnd I’m glad — I climbed Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, this past weekend with two of my coworkers. One of them, Julie, had already bailed, but Abby and I kept going. Julie had nothing to prove and knew her limitations. She said she would just chill and wait for Abby and me. We…Hiking5 min readHiking5 min read
Published in Thirty over Fifty·PinnedMember-onlyMy Dad Has DementiaHow much longer can he live at home?” — My mom and I left my dad at home the other day while we ran a couple errands. “I’m leaving. Don’t leave the house!” “Okay.” When we returned, my dad and their dog were nowhere to be found. I went outside and looked down the street. I saw my dad…Dementia4 min readDementia4 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Nov 9, 2022Member-onlyI’m Not Buying Christmas Gifts This YearIf anyone objects, too bad — I've just finished Glennon Doyle's fabulous book Untamed, for the second time. In this book Doyle preaches embracing your wild self and throwing out everybody else's rules. Usually I'm great at reading books about improving areas of my life — and then never actually doing anything. This time it's different…Consumerism5 min readConsumerism5 min read
Published in Feedium·Aug 9, 2022Member-onlyDon’t Worry About Good Grammar and SpellingIt won’t affect your views — As an English professor, I try very hard to make sure that my stories are grammatically perfect. I spend hours going over each line, making corrections. I snicker when I see the word “anyways” in a post. And guess what? No one notices anyways. I just read an article from…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Published in The Masterpiece·Aug 8, 2022Member-onlyI Love My Electric ScooterAnd it looks like I’ll be using it a lot more — This post is not sponsored. This morning, I got back into my car after going on a hike at our nearby state park. When I started my 2011 Honda Pilot, it growled like one of those supercars I am constantly annoyed by. Embarrassed, I crept out of the parking lot…Environment4 min readEnvironment4 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·Aug 4, 2022Member-onlyI Love Doing LaundryDoes this make me (even more of) a weirdo? — Since I work part-time, and my partner works long hours, it’s always been up to me to complete the indoor household chores. I don’t mind dishes, unless it’s after a big party, late, and I’m drunk, just wanting to get in bed. …Housework4 min readHousework4 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·Jul 28, 2022Member-onlyWhat I Love Most About AgingCrow’s Feet Prompt #12 — The other day I was interviewing for a job at a university in my hometown. …Aging3 min readAging3 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jul 28, 2022Member-onlyWant Your Relationship to Last?Stay in that shared bed — I always start my night in bed with my husband, Charlie. Lately, around three in the morning, I will leave the bed, go downstairs and sleep on the couch. It's usually because his snoring has gotten too loud, his restless legs are shaking the bed, or I can't stand the…Marriage4 min readMarriage4 min read
Published in Confessions of an Adjunct English Teacher·Jul 20, 2022Member-onlyWhat to do When a Student is Crying in Your ClassCollege students do it too. — I’ve been teaching composition at a community college since 2001. During that time, I have been faced with quite a few crying students. What is the proper way to deal with this? Resist the urge to grab and hug them! I am a very sentimental person, and when a student starts crying, I want to cry along with…Higher Education3 min readHigher Education3 min read
Published in The Memoirist·Jul 20, 2022Member-onlyI Fell in Love at CampShe didn’t feel the same — One of the most exciting events of my childhood was being able to go to camp. Sleepover camp was even better because I got to be out of my house and away from my parents, particularly my mom, for an extended period of time. My mom didn’t like me as…Camp3 min readCamp3 min read
