Published inHuman Parts·PinnedMember-onlyI Raised My Child in a Shopping MallI raised my child in a shopping mall. Not the kind of my youth: An enclosed, 1980’s dark-floored cave with a Spencer’s and The Limited, Orange Julius and Chick-Fil-A; a constant fountain whooooooshing in the background. No, this shopping mall is a modern, outdoor arrangement with a small fountain in…Parenting6 min readParenting6 min read
Apr 27Member-onlyThen I saw a daffodilEvery year, until the 10-year anniversary of the horrific tornado super outbreak on April 27, 2011, I wrote about those tornadoes and emotions tied to them, sometimes more than once a year. Today is a day I remember the 252 lives lost in Alabama, my home state. Last year, I…Weather4 min readWeather4 min read
Mar 3Member-onlyWhat we mean when we say we miss newsroomsIf my former newsrooms were people I would be attending many funerals. My past lives fall around me. My first journalism job was at The Birmingham News in Alabama, which recently stopped printing. So did other papers in my home state, The Mobile Press Register and the Huntsville Times. The…Journalism5 min readJournalism5 min read
Feb 26Member-onlyShifting gears: Teaching my autistic daughter to driveNote: Every autistic person’s experience is different. This is my experience with my daughter and she read and approved of this before I posted it. I can tell you the day I discovered freedom because I remember every intoxicating detail of the moment I drove alone for the first time…Autism6 min readAutism6 min read
Jan 26No, Blogging Is Not Dying Anytime Soon95017Darius ForouxThis was a great post.This was a great post. I had a conversation just yesterday with my 20-year-old daughter about blogs and the difference between an opinion piece, essay and blog post, all of which I write. It's hard to explain to a Gen Z what that means, I learned. I also realized as I talked that, for me, the term "blog" seems stale. Maybe we need a new word? (I'm only half joking.)1 min read1 min read
May 8, 2022Member-onlyThe Uterus StoreMother’s Day has a different meaning this year. I have an only child. I shut down my uterus store at 31. The “We are closed” sign went up and no more babies were to enter as customers. The womb is in the tomb. …Mothers4 min readMothers4 min read
Dec 31, 2021Member-onlyThe agony and adventure of choosing a planner (and how it changes me each year)I should have found my voice by now. As I creep toward the second half of my life, I guess it’s no surprise that I feel like I haven’t. I’ve been telling the stories of others far longer than my own. But a writer’s voice is ever-changing. The voice I…Planner5 min readPlanner5 min read
Aug 21, 2021I have pretty much never had female friends (or writer friends) — partially because I'm almost…121Carmen SissonI'm so glad this helped you.I'm so glad this helped you. We can all use help, not some of the time but ALL of the time. A community to surround us and lift us up - and to remind us of our self worth! Keep going, keep writing!1 min read1 min read
Aug 20, 2021Member-onlyThere’s snow place like home: Why I keep snow in my freezer.I keep snow in my freezer. In Alabama snow is rare. So years ago my daughter Isabel and I started gathering it each time it snowed. We put each scoop of snow in a baggie and stuck it in the freezer, marked with the year we collected it. It may…Women3 min readWomen3 min read
Aug 13, 2021I’m imperfect but I have so much to sayThe world has taught women to fight against each other. In the We Are Supported By podcast, soccer player and two-time Olympic gold medalist Abby Wombach talked about constantly being taught to compare herself to other women, as well as being taught not to reach the same bar as men…Women3 min readWomen3 min read
