Fighting Culture to Save the Best Parts of It — The only time my mom said she was proud of me was in a Facebook post. It really wasn’t meant for me. It was posted to get attention for being a good mom whose child was succeeding publicly. My success actually had nothing to do with her. She had pushed…

Losing Roe will victimize abused women all over again — I sat in the sickly yellow light of the bathroom, makeup not quite hiding the bruises coloring my skin. But, even worse than the color darkening my cheek and lip was the line darkening on the test I was taking. I was pregnant. I love my children and always have…

Recap of Seven Months for the Curious — There was sweat burning my eyes as I silently cursed the smiling sadist I hired at the recommendation of my medical team. Long Covid had stolen the feeling in my toes and my fingertips. He was a physical therapist and here to help me get sensation back. Pain is the…

Documenting a personal journey of health and healing — Me and my toes are disagreeing today. I keep trying to touch them, and they stubbornly insist on staying far away. They also insist on tingling and losing feeling for fun or just to see if I stumble. I haven’t figured out which one. My body likes arguing with me…

How laziness and curiosity can both increase productivity — I am a Geek of Fixing Things. Every company has someone like me. The larger companies have entire teams of us. We’re the people happy to work in a basement and require little to no maintenance. If the star coders are the exotic orchids that draw all the eyes with…

You can’t just assemble a dream partner — Hiding in American malls, an evil creeps. Oh sure, it’s disguised by cheerful employees and happy kids, but beneath the cheerful exterior, a heart of darkness lurks. Adorning the walls are the furs of stuffed animals. Trophies, to be hunted and decorated. The “Build A Bear Workshop” looks like the…

The thing about lying down in a hospital bed with a machine helping you breathe is it’s quite clarifying. You’re alone with your thoughts and then the fears come on over to visit. During the beginning of the pandemic, the hospital only allowed fear and anxiety to come and sit…

Here’s how to handle it. — Sometimes my boyfriend stares at me like I’m an alien sent down to earth to puzzle and terrify him. Then he remembers that I think whoever invented makeup sex should win a Nobel peace prize for making relationship wars enjoyable to end, and stops to consider my questions. The question…

Towns like Manhattan Beach still refuse to apologize — If you drive down the highway with the windows rolled down you can smell the American dream lingering around town. It’s a combination of ocean, salt, sunscreen, small-town charm, and the smog that means easy access to the Los Angeles airport. Manhattan Beach is a picture-perfect representative of living the…