I have so much news to share with you, I'm making a special "news" post! James and I just returned from an AWESOME time in Cabo San Lucas, and I'm proud to say that we both feel closer because of it. The photo I've attached to is him and me having an awesome time on our snorkeling excursion. I don't think I've ever had so many…
It starts with the heart. I ached for my dear friend who had needed to see a career counselor for many painful years, yet life and fear continued to prevent this. I'd lay awake at night, praying there was something I could do. It's scary as hell talk about your future. It often means facing all the corners of life where you settled for "safe." I've…
The following is a real-life account of a girl who almost got in major trouble with SeaTac airport security. I'm what most people would call a "good girl." I like pleasing people and maintaining order. But, below the surface of me, lies my fear of doing something wrong. I wasn't afraid when I sent my carry-on backpack through the airport X-ray. That's because I didn't know the…
During a recent bout of summer-like weather, I decided to barefoot run. I suggest trying it at least once in your life (find smooth, clean asphalt). The firmness of the ground pounding against your bare feet is incredible. I brushed up against more than asphalt on my run around Green Lake; I got the reminder that sometimes the fastest and easiest way isn't 100% of the…
Every time I stay in my house for a long time in isolation and start gobbling huge quantities of chocolate to deal with my stir-craziness, I'm reminded that the hermit lifestyle was not designed to be a life-long gig. The human condition comes with a hardwired need of others. I need companionship, affection, feedback, encouragement, teamwork, as well as.... I discovered, based on an assessment, that I…
I grew up on fairy tales. Consequently, I’m a dreamer and an optimist. I’ve always been more outrageously shocked by scandal or crude humor than most of my friends. To this day, people will say things that upset me just to watch my expression. Apparently I put on a good show. I knew by the time I went to college that I’d been raised in a…
Relationships are multi-faceted and they certainly don't exist on a solely emotional plain. Sometimes the topic of physical health becomes a roadblock in discussions. Although it's not always this case, many women find themselves the ones who are more interested in staying in good shape, and having a conversation about health with their less-excited man is challenging. I am reposting an article I wrote on this subject of…
This post may strike you as rather philosophical, but there are seasons of our lives--and minds--when nothing else fits the bill. You hate it when the status quo is simply to pretend like everything is always fine and dandy, right? And you equally hate it when people you know launch themselves from crisis to crisis as if they truly inhabit an endless chain of traumatic evens and…
Boy meets girl. Girl smiles at boy. Boy spends more time talking with girl. Both appear quite interested. Elise is oh-so-proud of herself because she's the one who introduced them to each other. I have personally never been a successful matchmaker (the above mentioned couple is no exception, I'm sorry to say). Have you ever tried to set up two friends? One thing that almost always…
Every writer gets them. No one can escape them. No one, ever, has been brilliant and perfect enough of a writer with universal tastes that everyone agrees with to evade the reality of bad reviews, angry comments, or rude messages. Rest assured, this is not a rant about a horrible review I just received. I'm actually quite OK with people publicly declaring if they don't like something I wrote. (In fact, if everyone agreed that…