On Being Visibly Fat

Here are some things you and I already know about me:- I am a dancer in the CinCity Shakers.- I look really cute in a hot pink bob.- I am fat (note for new readers. fat is a neutral descriptor in this case. not an insult). See. Pink bob... Adorable. And some things...

Go Ahead and Give Up

If I was a literary figure my tragic flaw would be that I give up too easily.  Hopefully without sounding too full of myself I have to tell you that for most of my life I've had enough things come easily to me that I haven't had to work hard for much (I know... I...

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Flying High, Falling Fast

Lately I've been having a fair amount of those "it's all worth it" parenting moments.  Keep in mind (I'm talking to those of you who still haven't decided whether to take the plunge), it took six years to get here.  Sure, there were a few before, but not until now do...

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Holiday Freedom

I love the holidays.  I love the lights and smells and sounds.  I love decorating for Christmas.  I love eating way too much pie (and then eating it again for breakfast).  I love presents.  I love it all. I also think that I love holiday gatherings.  I watch holiday...

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The Little Pool

We had a pool in our backyard when I was growing up. I didn't realize until many years later what a privilege that was, but that's beside the point (or maybe it isn't, we'll both find out at the end of this post). The pool was in-ground, not quite kidney shaped, with...

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Being “Different”

My high school drama teacher (at one time the sole distributor of life altering wisdom I paid any attention to) said that one of the biggest mistakes most people make is believing they're the only one who feels/thinks the way they do.  Time and time again I've found...

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Give Up Sweating the Small Stuff

I judge people. We all do.  It's part of the human experience.  And while some might say that the goal of a mindful life is to live free of judgment, I like to remind them (and really, myself) that living free of judgment includes judgment of the judgers.  So, I...

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See Yourself Ignite

Tonight as I was watching and tending to the fire in my fireplace I sat in quiet contemplation (well, really I sat half listening to an episode of Curious George and zoning out while staring into the flames hoping for an extra dose of prana for my tired body).  And...

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Social Anxiety

A week or two ago I was in a small group conversation on Zoom. One of the group members shared that he was recently at a bonfire gathering with friends. It was January and 20 degrees but this was what it took to connect with his community so there they were. Someone...

Mountain Climbing (Worth: Part 3 of 4)

This is the third post in a four part series about worth.  Catch up on Parts 1 & 2). I climbed a mountain last Saturday. Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. 3166 feet to the summit. Went all the way. Mountain climbing isn't really my thing. Feats of physical prowess...

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Am I Enough? (Worth: Part 2 of 4)

This is Part two in a four part series about worth.  Catch up on Part 1 here. In September 2006, shortly after I puked up my then-husband's birthday breakfast and realizing I was pregnant, I discovered an online group of women on iVillage.com who were also expecting...

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For What It’s Worth (Worth: Part 1 of 4)

Anytime I've ever said the phrase "for what it's worth" to someone, what followed next was of value to them (known because they so much as said so). Still, I'm realizing that worth and the value of my voice aren't something I'm confident about yet. If you've been...

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Why NOT being vulnerable is actually scarier…

My son (he's 6 now) is afraid a lot.  More often than I'd like him to be--just because I remember being the same and how painful it was.  The other day he asked me, "What if you leave me with a babysitter and that babysitter turns out to be a robber (his word for "bad...

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Only today matters

My son, who is 5 (and 3/4 he would chime in proudly) is on a t-ball team this Spring. When we got to our first practice I was relieved to find our assigned team a perfect match for him. There was no expectation that you compose yourself when it wasn't your turn to...

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