I woke up befuddled one cold, wet morning. Issues clouded my mind and made me anxious to shrink and disappear. I tried to sleep while remaining lucidly awake and aware throughout the night. I awoke with a clarity and dread, knowing that my subconscious had made a decision it had not quite explained to my…

Throwback memory: Utah had been tough. Utah had been unkind. Utah, despite its majestic mountains and beautiful winters, reeked of discrimination. While I did make some friends in Utah, I spent most of my time battling preconceived notions and mindsets until I gave up and found myself in a state of steady anger. I was…

My son had a live stream online yesterday. He and his coworker aired live from Norwich, UK. I love when they do those because I get to see my son in real time while he talks about the product and his projects. Sometimes he will post old pictures or videos like he did yesterday. They…

Somewhere in the world, there used to be a picture of me with an embroidery ring on my head looking slightly Middle Eastern-ish. I was skinny and awkward wearing, I think, a dingy wife-beater t-shirt and shorts. Not the boys wife-beater, the girls version with the skinnier straps – as if that makes the fashion…

I have an aunt who, while was never overtly mean to me, was definitely stern and was not very loving in general. I witnessed her being rude and outright violent with other people and family members but don’t recall her ever laying a hand on me. Maybe I’ve forgotten a pinch or swat by now…

There is a merry-go-round at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk that I have known my whole life. I was born in Salinas, CA and, though I didn’t grow up there, I do remember many trips to the boardwalk throughout the years. I mainly remember that the boardwalk sold the absolute BEST deep fried artichokes and that…

For the first time in two years, my husband, son, daughter and I are in the same city. We have been lucky enough to see my daughter pretty regularly despite her living on the east coast. My son lives “across the pond” so I haven’t seen him in two whole years because of canceled work…

Allow me to try to regale you with a looney tale. It was an uncharacteristically cool but windy evening when we took our furry son for his evening walk. Because we live on a golf course, we have become avid golf ball hunters. [Bonus points for non white balls!] This is a hobby of which…

It took 3 years. I was adamant that I did not want another dog. Ever. I lost the war because, here I am … the sudden and unexpected owner of a dog that looks like Barry Gibb from behind and an Ewok from the front. He is absolutely ridiculous. Of course, his name is Chewbacca…

A story I can laugh about …now. It was the end of the day and, frankly, I had checked out. I sat on my bed reading while my daughter took a shower in my bathroom. She was about 6 years old at the time. She was both very young and a strong-willed teenager at the…

Some genetic traits are unavoidable. That’s it … that’s the blahg.

Three years have passed and the pain never goes away. Much love my little ObiWan 💜 Originally posted on 12/27/2017 My son and I walked into a shabby pet store where the animals were in cages stacked one atop another and stopped in front of the one containing two long haired chihuahua puppies. We fell…