Columns

I sat on my outdoor patio, coffee cup in hand, breakfast before me, and eyes alive with wonder of where my beagle, Eva, might be. I scanned the feathered tips of rich green pines reaching into the morning skyline above me. I listened to barbershop quartets of…

I am giddy with excitement. Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” plays on my iPhone as I begin writing a column about that album and its effect on my life. I know exactly what I want to say, how its structure…

Content warning: The following contains a mention of suicide. If you know me at all, you know that I love Target. I’m not proud of it. If anything, I’m this close to canceling my RedCard and Shipt membership. But I can’t deny my years-long obsession with the retail store…

As COVID-19 vaccinations continue here in the U.S., I’m noticing that more people are venturing back out into the world and returning to a “new normal.” While I’m glad to see that we’re taking some steps in the right direction, I’m not in a hurry to get back to…

During the height of the pandemic last year, a steady influx of people often reached out to me to check on my health. It was quite admirable. Friends, family members, and even people I had lost touch with would call or text for status updates, and I truly felt…

Have you ever noticed that people are similar to countries, and vice versa? Everyone has their own exports (products or services we produce) and imports (products or services we buy, such as food). Two or more individuals can become like allied nations when a friendship forms and they begin…

My 3-year-old grandson, James, adores his MomMom (me!) and treats me like royalty. He gently places a pillow behind my back on the couch and insists on propping up the footrest before covering me with a blanket so I’ll be cozy. He makes sure I’m fed…

My life is a sitcom.  Recently, I was chatting with my friend Young, a columnist for Charcot-Marie-Tooth News, about our writing processes. He was rather amazed when I told him that I rarely plan column topics. In my life, it’s…

I spent the majority of high school — and middle school, and undergrad, for that matter — stressed about my skin. I’ve written about it several times, from my cystic acne saga to the wonders of Accutane (isotretinoin). I guess you could say I’m making up for those long…

Peter Jackson, the New Zealand filmmaker who spearheaded “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the 2005 remake of “King Kong,” is known for being a bit of a maverick. Even after acquiring commercial and critical success…