aftermath

If you're reading this, you probably know me, which means you probably know that my husband, Patrick, died by suicide on November 29th. It feels weird and stupid to be writing this here. But I feel like I want to say something. So I guess this is my way of putting things out there. I'm … Continue reading aftermath

Homework

My name tag said “Volunteer”, but I was working there. I was a tutor in the Homework Center, an after-school program at the public library for kids K-8 to come and get help with homework or practice their reading and math skills. They’d run out of “Tutor” tags before I started. I was given a … Continue reading Homework

Suburban

I’ve always been leery of a suburban existence. Think: house with a half-dozen bedrooms, two living rooms, bar in the basement, recessed lighting. High ceilings and sprawling, plain grass lawns. Open-concept kitchen. You know what I mean. Foyers trigger my fight-or-flight.  So I told myself when we moved into this house that it was still … Continue reading Suburban

Dear Diary / Dear Stranger / Dear Void

Remember those “Dear America” books in middle school? They were fictional diaries from the point of view of young characters living through historical events. Those books cycled through the school library like nobody’s business, and I was certainly one of the girls who pawed through them many times, further fraying the ribbon bookmark that came … Continue reading Dear Diary / Dear Stranger / Dear Void