“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned the hard way that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end.” — Gilda Radner I didn’t just want a perfect ending; I wanted a perfect everything. Perfect house and job and vacations. Perfect body…

I am an introvert. I prefer to blend in and avoid eye contact and small talk. That said: I am occasionally needy of my husband’s attention. Sometimes he has a reaction that I find very pleasing. So pleasing, in fact, that I chase it. Unlike many other things, it’s as…

Eight years later, my mom is 87. She is 4’11” and weighs 80 pounds. …

One of our favorite family games is Scattergories. Have you played? The object is to score points by “uniquely naming objects within a set of categories given an initial letter and within a time limit.” Categories might include: A girl’s name, something you find at the zoo, a movie, a…

Hello, last week of 2021. While it was happening, especially the last month, this year felt inordinately long. Looking at this list, I’m…

Do you ever feel like your cart always has a wonky wheel? You know, the one that spins sideways instead of going forward like the other three? Or perhaps it’s an issue somewhere in the wheels resulting in a loud chirping sound that suggests you might be smuggling baby birds…

Two months post-immunotherapy, I got Covid. When I got the melanoma diagnosis, I never really asked, “Why me?” I thought: Fair. Years of tanning beds and baby oil and sun worshipping. Okay, Karma. But Covid? Nope. Fuck that. I wore my mask. I washed my hands. I stayed home. I…

One of my favorite Avett Brothers songs has a line that I love: “I wish I was a sweater, wrapped around your hips. And when it got too cold, into me you’d slip.” The next line is borderline voyeuristic, and the song is about love, not friendship, also the grammar…

Last week I had my last immunotherapy treatment. At my first treatment, I was scared and alone. My husband was out of town and even though one of my friends had come with me, I told her she didn’t have to come back with me. I’m brave. And strong. People…