As comments piled beneath my TikTok video, I went into overdrive—delete, block, repeat. But with six clients stacked back-to-back, barely minutes between them to ground myself, I had to call it. For my sanity and security, I shut off the comments. Turning them off meant certain death—at least in algorithm-speak. TikTok rewards comments: Ooh, peopleContinue reading “Dehumanize No More”
Category Archives: Writings
Look Out Beloooowwww
I have messy, complicated thoughts. The kind I usually keep to myself, or only share with Dave, Kristen, or Alli—my innermost circle. Not because I don’t trust other people, but because these are the ugliest parts of me. They burst forth like an abscess, raw and unfiltered. And as much as I want to shoveContinue reading “Look Out Beloooowwww”
Our Ripples Beneath
I get these little panics. Seismic ripples. Barely perceivable if I weren’t looking—but I am. No one else would notice. It’s impossible to see someone’s underwater activities. Like the hidden depth of an iceberg, what’s below belongs only to the one carrying it. Mine is smaller now, manageable—like a few percent skimmed from your paycheckContinue reading “Our Ripples Beneath”
Structured Scheduling Stylings
Structure, structure, structure. That’s the name of the game in our house today. Last night, after an inspiring talk with my brother about the daily routines he’s established for my 18-year-old twin nephews and 14-year-old niece, I realized—he’s onto something. So onto something that even he’s surprised himself. “Jack,” he said (he calls me Jack),Continue reading “Structured Scheduling Stylings”
Noodling on Future Ideas
On the car ride home from the Braves-Mariners game, I opened my laptop and wrote what follows—a brain download of all the pinballing ideas for TikTok videos. First, I thought about More Glee Counseling, how my business got its name, and why it holds so much meaning for me. Spoiler, before marrying Dave, my lastContinue reading “Noodling on Future Ideas”
Seven Donuts Deep
Two minutes into the whole reason I went to town, I was already headed back out. The worker’s response, “You don’t have Apple Care?” followed by a $500 quote to clean my keyboard and reinsert the Enter key, made the decision easy. Exit stage left. So Dave and I are putting our genius minds together—thoughContinue reading “Seven Donuts Deep”
Settled Under a Lavender Sky
I haven’t seen a shooting star in a while. I’m swaying in the hammock, legs crossed, head tipped back as my eyes search the sky. It’s the color of blue cotton candy—the last bit of light before darkness takes over. One bird, larger than a robin, maybe even a bird of prey, darted across theContinue reading “Settled Under a Lavender Sky”
When Vulnerability Wants Compost
I can write so fast, I tell Dave. But between that sentence and this one, I pause—frustrated by the keyboard keys that don’t respond without an extra-strong push. The stickiness under the “n” and the uprooted enter key had me browsing refurbished laptops before I thought: What if this one could just be repaired? So,Continue reading “When Vulnerability Wants Compost”
Hairdryers and Irons Begone
I’m very good at spontaneous. The on-the-fly, chaos-scrambling, ninja-karate-chopping-away-the-fat-and-focusing-on-the-meat-and-potatoes kind of thing is my jam. Dave reminded me of this skill, and he’s right. Whether it’s whipping up a homecooked meal from a blank canvas in the time of a sitcom or writing a blog post out of thin air, I can pull something togetherContinue reading “Hairdryers and Irons Begone”
Cravings for More
I’m giddy—like a squirrel in a wind tunnel of nuts, grinning in blissful reverence at his unexpected jackpot. That’s me with TikTok right now. I like having a broader audience. I can talk about being adopted, attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, show a dolphin leaping out of the water, and ramble about the joy ofContinue reading “Cravings for More”