I ran a way from home today. I woke up angry and could not shake it. To distract my mind, I rage-cleaned my bathroom to a sparking shine. The distraction was working until I looked down and saw my $200 bottle of Chanel No. 5 parfum on the floor. The air in the bathroom became…

I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano. Always. When I was about 33 years old, I got my hands on a secondhand piano that was huge, heavy, and smelled terrible due to wood moisture, most likely. I never touched it but it looked fabulous in my living room until we got…

I had an older cousin from my dad’s side who I idolized throughout my childhood. I didn’t see her much but relished the times we were up in Northern California to visit. Simply put —I adored her laughter and vitality. She was a hoot! Alas, she was closer to my siblings’ ages so I was…