Squint Anne Lamott said, “Never compare your insides to everyone else’s outsides.” Don’t compare what you see in your Facebook newsfeed to what you see in your own house, because what you see in your feed—for the most part—is not reality. It’s not necessarily an intentionally misleading or a flat-out lie, but it’s not the whole … Read more
Little Star in the Fog I noticed this cactus asterisk (I’m assuming it’s a cactus) on my mountain biking trail yesterday, the day after someone was airlifted out of a ravine down below. With the helicopter swirling above and the ambulance and fire truck perched at the top of the hill, my husband John … Read more
Twist I love the art of story. In my opinion, the best story is one that includes a twist you never saw coming. Jen’s Dodge Demon story, for one.* I bet Jen’s parents did not see that coming. I think the story of Jesus is truly the most dramatic, most theatrically delicious, greatest … Read more
Chains You teach people how to treat you. I’m not sure who said it first—Dr. Phil, Oprah, or Tony Gaskins in this fleshed out version: “You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.” In my own experience, I have sometimes allowed unacceptable behavior … Read more
One Hundred Even when I was a kid, I thought of the afterlife a lot. I think it’s safe to say, I always assumed that one exists. Even though that’s true for me, I routinely get caught up in the here and now. Like, every day. Most minutes, I’d say. This gets … Read more
Hot Tubs By Swimming Pools “You look at places on the earth, where to be born there would be like being born into hell because from the time you’re an infant being born, there’s not enough food, there’s abuse and torture and maybe warfare and we look at spots on the earth where it’s … Read more
Hey guys, I’ve taken a breather from my book since my launch three weeks or so ago but I’m using today to get back into book mode a little bit. I’m following up with anyone I think may have read my book or gifted my book to friends. If you read my book or know … Read more
Indistinct Chatter In The Little Love That Could, I write about my aversion to small talk. I hate it. Loathe. So I thought of small talk when I noticed the “indistinct chatter” phrase in the subtitles of a film recently. One of my favorite reviews of my previous book, I Punched Myself in the … Read more
The Butterflies and the Bloom Soon I will celebrate my grandson’s first trip around the sun. After that, I will celebrate my own trip another time around the sun. The number is not germane here. (It’s been a few.) Yesterday, before sunrise, my husband John and I took a twisty-turny-twisty-turny drive through picturesque Ortega Highway … Read more
