This is formally a Jennifer Welch appreciation account moving forward. Her ability to plainly and succinctly voice the experience of growing up in a loving atheist/agnostic home surrounded by a (parted) sea of heretical evangelicals and other religiosos in middle America is both comforting and inspiring. Openly questioning the
Taking the time you need seems innocuous enough. A migraine takes 1-2 days to recover. A case of food poisoning can last up to 3 days. The common cold 7-10 days. If there's a secondary infection, fuggetaboudit... I thought we'd learned better after a worldwide pandemic,
You want to know what REALLY pisses women off?? I'll get there, but background first. Sit tight, it's gonna be a ride. Doctors are scientists: observing, testing, documenting, reading, reviewing and HOPEFULLY then treating. Like all good scientists they love data. Data is the thing that
Tough questions I've been asked lately: 1) What do you want for dinner? 2) Will Kamala run for office again? 3) Would I run for something? The fall of democracy does impact my appetite, along with daily stressors like work, chronic illness and the pressure to act like
Many of us evolve into different people as we age. So many become the worst possible version of ourselves. That's according to observers or people around us though and I wouldn't trust too many haters if I were you. Me, I'm not convinced I&
One thing to remember when you deal with chronic illness, especially the invisible kind, is that you can start to feel completely and utterly alone. You're on an island and perhaps people visit, reach out to show concern or help with appointments but they get to leave. You
Fighting for justice and mourning children who are slaughtered in their safe space are incredibly painful and noble endeavors. These bring out the best in those of us who are passionate about things like human survival. It breaks my heart continuously that we have to do it so often. We
What is more terrifying for a people pleaser than stopping and not letting disrespect stand. Not letting slights roll off your shoulder or burrow into your brain. Just acknowledging within yourself that you're enough until the time comes. Finally standing up and saying no more. No more. No
Someone once said to me that I don't want to be happy. I can understand why, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I act like what I want is simple, but really my wishlist could fill the ocean. Happiness is on it but I
Fall in the midwest means many things, apple picking, leaves falling and school buses own the roads once more. I am grateful for the rain and the easing of the summer heat into lightly frosty mornings where you can see the steam coming off your coffee mug when the pup
I feel for those who meet me at this moment in time. Particularly for individuals attempting to begin or maintain a sincere relationship with my children. You are truly brave, arrogant or just have a bumpy path ahead. They are my world but rightfully are looking to escape the hedgerow.
There's no way to describe the joy I felt a week ago when I stood on a corner of a busy Ohio street and held the handmade sign out for passebys to see. An estimated 1000 protesters showed up in a very conservative district to show the biggest
For my education, and most teens in the US during the 90s, it required a few years of French (or Spanish, German or Latin) which has served me well in life. I travelled during college and got to speak a sentence or two. I call that success. It has also
I've never felt as deeply about music as I have listening to acoustic pluckings of Mr. David Gilmour. Roughly 20 years post-recording, I stumbled onto the title track to Pink Floyds' 1975 release while listening to local classic rock stations in the late '80s and building
So... Book clubs. Do we automatically have to join at 45 or can we opt out? One thing I can appreciate is a secular gathering of adults who talk about current events or topics other than imaginary friends. This kind of bonding ritual or modern Socratic learning is worthwhile and
Sitting on a tv set with only a towel or blanket to cover you and you realize you have no idea what your lines are or the storyline. You're the lead and you've been prepping all day to be in this moment and you've
In all fairness, it is REEEEAAAAALLLYY past time for my fellow white folks to deal with our family issues. I mean, we've always been a group of people who are predisposed to destroying civilization and raping cultures. And we're absolutely witless enough to take down ourselves
There's nothing wrong with taking a moment to rest. Science tells us that energy can be built, stored, converted and consumed. We're all biological machines that can wear down over time, ask your cardiologist about how many beats you get in a lifetime. But getting back
Don't do it. DON'T YOU SING IT! You DO NOT feel fine. Or if you do, why aren't you sharing whatever is making you feel fine. When you're swimming through a septic system looking for the ladder, first WHY ARE YOU SWIMMING
It's hard when you try and try to keep peace and calm, but all that surrounds you is chaos and destruction. Sweat and tears, work and more work. You can't hold on to joy , you can't make it happen. You can choose it, but
The other night I had a very good dream. It wasn't that the dream was all that impactful or long, but the memory of the dream is soothing. I should probably explain something interesting. I tend to have full feature length dreams fairly often, meaning about once a
Yes, I said it. And I'm happy now. I hope you're happy, my friend. I happened to be in Toronto this past summer on a short getaway and had a free night. One ticket was left, well one I saw open anyway, so I snagged it.
Remember I said that I'd get back to my son's chronic illness... Get ready for the best and LEAST sexy parenting post you've ever read. Also, if you've never heard this Paramore song, go download it now. You're welcome. It&
Not my favorite Madonna song, but Like a Prayer as a title for this post is a crucifix too hot for this atheist to hold. So... Wine... There's a great wide gaping chasm of darkness and shit coming our way in the next 4 years that totally fucks