A detailed accounting of a triggered phobia event
Category: Relationships
Dear LGBTQ+ Youth
It's PRIDE month and I know some of you can't afford to be out and proud. I know some of you don't have the freedom to be fully yourself in public -- sometimes not even at home, where it should always be safe to be wholly you, no matter what. I know that even those … Continue reading Dear LGBTQ+ Youth
Mango Lady
I have one of those faces. Well, no, it's probably not my face, since I don't always wear a friendly expression and tend to get lost in thought a lot, even in public. There's something about me, though, that induces complete strangers to come up to me in public places (including restrooms) and ask my … Continue reading Mango Lady
Baby’s Firsts (Boldly), and a Word about Accessibility
Today I had my first book signing (nobody really tells you that any "firsts" as an adult pretty much come with a side of terror/quaking in one's boots -- and yes, those were literal boots for me today because Texas). I found the prospect terrifying, yes -- but it goes well with 2018's theme of … Continue reading Baby’s Firsts (Boldly), and a Word about Accessibility
Dear 2017
Dear 2017, As tempting as it was to leave this at, "Bye, bitch!"...I feel there is more that needs to be said, in fairness. Thank you, 2017, for showing me that what I thought were mortal wounds -- though they be grievous and still-unhealed -- weren't. Thank you for arranging it, somehow, such that even … Continue reading Dear 2017
The Most Powerful Sentence?
What is the most powerful sentence in existence?
Happy Birthday to…my Ink?
Thanks to Facebook's "On This Day" feature, it was brought to my attention that my latest ink is a year old today. [Clearly it's time for something new!] It's been quite a conversation-starter, this particular tattoo. It's just line work, but it's different enough to make people stop and ask, "What is that? What does … Continue reading Happy Birthday to…my Ink?
What Optimism Isn’t
When I was in second grade (back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth), our report cards were handwritten. There was a nice long section on the back for comments from the teacher -- none of this comment-by-number computerized mess. I always received glowing praise about my "sunny disposition" or my good grades -- except one … Continue reading What Optimism Isn’t
Sixteen Years On: Never Forget?
The first thing I saw on Facebook this morning, September 11th, 2017, was a photo of the Twin Towers on a corporate page with the caption, "Never Forget." The first comment, which was apparently a troll attempt (given other factors), was along the lines of, "Hmph. Grief porn. Get over it." My knee-jerk reaction was … Continue reading Sixteen Years On: Never Forget?
Born-Raised-Lived-Died: My Greatest Fear
I was going to write about this topic even before the despicable events of Charlottesville, VA. Now it feels even more timely and relevant. I freak out about spiders and jellyfish, but my greatest fear has nothing to do with creepy-crawlies or stinging sea critters. I call it "Born-raised-lived-died." Born-raised-lived-died is the unfortunate tendency, easily … Continue reading Born-Raised-Lived-Died: My Greatest Fear
