Sep 21I Survived Suicide: Five Phrases I Never Want to Hear AgainI knew I was in real trouble. I’d felt overwhelmed, trapped, and alone before. I’d wanted to die before. I’d even had a plan before. …Suicide Prevention11 min readSuicide Prevention11 min read
Sep 12When “Normal” is Healthy … and When It’s Dangerous“I can’t sleep,” said Sarah*. “I keep seeing his hands in gloves, grabbing the merchandise!” Her voice trembled through her Syrian accent. “I can’t even be with my children. I start to sweat when I hear a noise. I think I’m going crazy. I just want to hide in my…Normal11 min readNormal11 min read
Jul 27Sometimes Defeat Is The AnswerFor much of my life, fall has been a rough season. Fall has brought the death of loved ones, abrupt endings of cherished romantic relationships, and darkening days that herald the approaching cold. Even as a January baby, I’ve never taken to the dark and the cold. …Defeat12 min readDefeat12 min read
Oct 4, 2022Trichotillomania and Me: How a BFRB Both Scarred and Saved MeTrichotillomania began haunting me when I was ten. I was sitting in my fourth grade classroom when I found myself slowly pulling out my eyelashes, and piling them neatly on my desk. One by one. I felt horrified and confused by what I was doing, but also oddly satisfied. …Trichotillomania13 min readTrichotillomania13 min read
May 25, 2022After 30 years, I Left Diversity Work. These Are the Five Awkward Reasons.“But I thought our job was to put ourselves out of business!” My objection was heartfelt, but my coworkers squirmed. I glanced around the room. …Diversity And Inclusion26 min readDiversity And Inclusion26 min read
Apr 25, 2022The Power of Saying NOKey to a Life Beyond Crumbs (And Making a Difference) I said NO recently. Twice. And it’s kind of a big deal. The first NO was to a new man in my life. At first, I was stoked to have met “Darrell” online. Not only was he attractive and local, we had a high compatibility score. Unlike the men I’ve…Trauma Recovery10 min readTrauma Recovery10 min read
Jan 31, 2022“It Wasn’t You”: From the Ex of My ExIn October 2014, Kent abruptly broke off our one-year relationship. That ending broke a part of me, and was one of the push factors that nudged me back towards California. In July 2016 I moved back to L.A., but two months before that, Kent and I had lunch. It was…Breakups3 min readBreakups3 min read
Dec 15, 2021One important, overlooked reason the U.S. is in trouble: MistrustThe poor man sounded exasperated. There were a bunch of letters after his name, and he was deeply involved in local COVID vaccine efforts. “We just don’t understand it,” he said. …Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Nov 2, 2021R.I.P. Plantie, Hello Artist DreamsMost people don’t know I was (am?) a classically trained pianist. The fact that most people don’t know this tells you something. Fascinated by my church’s organist, Mrs. Huss, and the strange marks on paper she translated into intricate music, I started piano lessons at age 5. By second grade…Diadelosmuertos7 min readDiadelosmuertos7 min read
Sep 5, 2021Graceful Ending: The Loss of a Love of My LifeMy Sweetie and I broke up Thursday night. Like so many moments and aspects of our relationship, the breakup was another first. It was the sweetest, most mutual ending I’ve been through. I had the courage and integrity to set a new, important boundary. He had the courage and integrity…Breakups8 min readBreakups8 min read