Give Me a Break
If you follow me on social media, you might be aware that this is a difficult time of my life.
…Personal Life
Come On Get Happy
I used to want to be famous. When I was a lot younger, I thought fame was a sure path to acceptance, adoration and financial freedom. I believed that fame washed away insecurities and flaws, leaving behind a shiny, beloved creature without a care in the world. I assumed it was how you got happy.
…Getting Over It
Over the years, I’ve received loads of emails and messages from people who were grateful that I taught them about sepsis. They’d never heard of it and now know it exists. Maybe that knowledge could save a life. So, why is it that I can recite by heart the one negative email I got?
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Ears to You
Just before everything shut down for the pandemic, one of my hearing aids went on the fritz. It still worked, but it started emitting a loud, high-pitched whine whenever it felt like it. Imagine someone screaming in your left ear at random intervals. So, I stopped wearing it, obviously.
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The White Experience
A teenage girl who grew up in California dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Her family moved to the US when she was a toddler. She got excellent grades and anticipated going to university and then law school. She was prepared to work to pay for her education. After all, it’s the American Dream. And in America, you can be anything you want to be.
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The Music in Me
Derek and I sing. A lot. Not that anybody asks us to. I sing more than he does but not necessarily better. We experience life in music. By that I mean, we turn everyday events into songs.
…Happy Birthday, Mom!
Can I get a Happy Birthday for my Mom? We call her Ma, Moo, Matka & Mamasita. But you can call her Helen. Happy Birthday!!
Mix Master (in training)
For years, I’ve heard people talk about their stand mixers as if they’re family members. Owners sometimes give them names. They talk about their mixers as if they’re a sous chef at the ready. And now that I have one, I totally get it.
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Sleepless in Southwold
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you why they don’t get a good night’s sleep. Poor sleep isn’t special although everyone’s reasons for it are a little bit different. Isolation has created a sleeping problem for some people who never had one before. But we are already a nation of bad sleepers.
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Fifteen Shades of Grey’s
In the early days of the pandemic, we started binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix.
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Old Bugs and New Muse
Hello cats and kittens and welcome back to my mental scratching post! You’re as appreciated here as a piece of tuna dropped on the floor. Thank you for returning to find out what I’m up to.
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That Song
Discussing frivolous things right now seems wrong. Serious, important issues are at the forefront and I’m definitely taking part in those conversations. But sometimes, you need a mental break. Whether it’s turning off social media, or talking about the weather, or what have you. In that spirit, I want to share a little happy, silly, but satisfying occurence in my life! And it’s all about a song.
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On Being an Ally
I’m a white person who wants to stop racism. Many of us – I’d like to think most of us – want to do something, we just don’t know what to do.
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Berry, Berry Clean
Maybe you saw one of the viral videos about soaking strawberries and maybe it grossed you out, too. If you didn’t, I’ll give you the Max Haines version.
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Rural Routes
I fought our new way of life for several months after we moved in. Even though I know it’s futile and frankly, unhealthy for my mental wellness, I dug myself into a state of forcing this old house and property to prove itself to me. It’s too big, too unpredictable too…rural.
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Something Phishy
I’m prepared to be judged for this. Whenever someone is scammed, we like to assume they’re stupid because that leaves us feeling we’ll never be a victim. My response has always been, “They wouldn’t keep the scam going if it didn’t work”. I hesitated to write about it. But after something similar happened to the wise and wonderful Reta Ismail, she encouraged me to tell my story. Maybe it will help someone else.
…Random Thoughts From A Pandemic
Does everybody’s weekly budget look like this?
Gas: $0. Movies & dinners out: $0. Groceries: $62,176.23.
Distraction Attraction
I’m a big proponent of distraction as a mental health preservation/anti-frustration technique.
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