This year, my Christmas spirit has a flavor peppered with longing, fatigue, and melancholy. Gone is the typical sweetness of the season. Rather than anticipation, I feel dread. A cloud of worry casts its shadow overhead. Actually, it’s more of an all-consuming fog. Time is fluid. … [Read more...] about Dimmed Spirits
pandemic
Job Hunting Is Demoralizing
No one talks about how demoralizing it is to be unemployed. So much of ourselves is intertwined with our careers - self-worth, sense of accomplishment, power, influence. To be without work means my own self-worth wanes, my sense of accomplishment fades, and let’s be honest, in a … [Read more...] about Job Hunting Is Demoralizing
Looks Like We Made It
I've seen Barry Manilow in concert three times and I'm not ashamed to admit it. His songs are the tunes of my youth that take me back to when my parents had parties in our wood paneled basement with the pleather recliner and vinyl topped bar. The kids played outside, having been … [Read more...] about Looks Like We Made It
On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
Dear Bird and Deal, I usually write you a letter before the beginning of the school year to tell you what I hope the year ahead holds for you. My feelings are more complex and jumbled this year. Even as a writer, I struggle to put words to my emotions. I can’t quite name what … [Read more...] about On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
2020 Was Our Year for Clarity
This was supposed to be our year. 2020 was the year we all got clear vision. We were going to roll up our sleeves, dust off our auras, hydrate our withered psyches. We had no idea what the universe had in store for us. My family had just landed from a last minute getaway … [Read more...] about 2020 Was Our Year for Clarity
Who’s looking after the mothers?
Motherhood takes the form of many hats, not all of them flattering or comfortable, but each uniquely necessary. Who's looking after the mothers? We talk about "self care" because there's no one but us to do it. And yes, sometimes the language of motherhood is martyrdom. In the … [Read more...] about Who’s looking after the mothers?
10 Things Staying Home Taught Me About Going to School
I do not homeschool for a reason. For many reasons. Let me be clear, the paradigm we are in now is not homeschooling. We are all just trying to function without going feral. We've had two weeks of ramen and screen time around here, so you can send me my blue ribbon for parenting … [Read more...] about 10 Things Staying Home Taught Me About Going to School