vulnerability
An African proverb
The tree remembers what the axe forgets. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I can, as the quote states, tell you stories about being a tree. Sometimes the giving tree (codependency much?). Sometimes a tree in a razed forest. Sometimes, um, a tree that fights back? Hahahaha the analogy only works for so … Read more
Helpful critique
The other night, I had my second bouldering competition. (Read here about the first one.) It was organized differently than the first one. As a person who appreciates both efficiency and safety, I liked how it was set up. As a person who prefers to boulder without people watching, I didn’t like it at all. … Read more
Suffering in silence
You don’t announce a pregnancy until the end of the first trimester, because you want to be as sure as possible it’s a viable pregnancy first. Everyone knows this. I hate this rule, and I think we should get rid of it. For many women, miscarriages are extremely emotionally painful. Why would we want to … Read more
Voices in our heads
I saw a meme that said: May you never be the reason why someone who loved to sing, doesn’t any more. Or why someone who dressed so differently now wears standard clothing. Or why someone who always spoke of their dreams so wildly is now silent about them. May you never be the reason of … Read more
Discomfort and growth on fake rocks
In April, I volunteered at an event at the rock climbing gym where I’m a member. It was a bouldering event (short walls, no ropes) which is not something that I had done at all, but there were all sorts of fun, silly climbing (taller walls, with a rope) stations as well—one-handed, an obstacle course, … Read more
Personal creative work
I was chatting with a colleague the other day about writing and teaching kids to write, and how difficult it is. We came to the conclusion that the majority of us are afraid to be vulnerable (and creativity is extremely vulnerable), and that we can’t just do our own thing without comparing our output to … Read more
I’ve always hated Christmas, but…
…I’ve wanted to love it. It just sucked. My mom’s love language must be gifts (based on things more than just Christmas). There were always piles of stuff for my brother, sister, and I to open, each in a different color paper. My earliest Christmas memory, I was 7 or 8. We had ripped through … Read more
Poking around in your head
Yesterday, I published a post that ended with a question asking about your experience. I’ve asked a similar question a few times. This is the thing: I’m really curious about the answer. I’d love to take every single reader out for coffee for a few hours and pick your brain about random things like yesterday’s … Read more
Some days, I look tired
There’s a new-to-my-awareness probably-MLM line of products being hawked in my Facebook feed. “Total makeover. Only takes 10 minutes!” But you know what? I like my face. Some days, I have bags under my eyes, because I’m tired. Some days, I’m exhausted and have full-blown suitcases. I’m at the point where I have creases in … Read more