“That’s not a turtle. That’s a dinosaur.” This is what went through my head as I approached the stone-like reptile on the side of the road. Its tail was longer than I imagined, and it had bumps. A descendant of a triceratops or something. Its face was different, too. Aha. A snapping turtle. I have absolutely…

1. This is a note to say that I deeply respect non-profit workers, international organizations, and even/especially the employees at the international non-profit of my previous employ. This is merely an exploration of my own feelings about being rooted in my city, and my understanding and belated acceptance of my own smallness. It is also…

The clothes were done. It was the first time I’d dried them in a machine in weeks (thanks, Mom and Dad!), and I’d forgotten how soft they could be when not hung on a line. I keep thinking of this book on tape I listened to with the West family on our drive to the…

I went to St. Vincent on Monday. Annie Clark is odd and exciting and beautiful. She is a talented musician whose music is not easy for me to listen to (but I do genuinely enjoy “Cruel,” the song in the above link). And she is an incredible performer. At many points during the show, she…

My amazingly talented, wonderfully kind friend Daphne Eck wrote this poem. I’d love it even if it wasn’t such an honor to me. Love you, friend.

There are certain things you can predict. -Being completely in love with love when two of your dearest ones wed. -Meals prepared by Tim Wallace and/or Caldwell Manners will be to.die.for. -Being tired after setting up and tearing down a beautiful reception. -Sadness about dear friends leaving the city, state, country. -Feeling productive when you…

I’m trying this new thing. I’m asking myself, “What do I want to do?” Or sometimes the emphasis is: “What do I want to do?” In a rare gem of a weekend without set plans, I had space to answer the question every day.  Now, of course, I had some obligations. A girl gotta get…

I’m sitting at the front window at Peerless, my co-officing location.I don’t like sitting up here because it’s like being in a fish bowl—on display fot the world to see. And sometimes people really do stop and look in. (Cale says to just out-awkward them, which I haven’t tried yet.) I’d much prefer to be…

I was in scholastic bowl in junior high and high school. Yep. Nerd.I don’t remember a lot about it. It wasn’t a terribly involved extra-curricular. I do remember that the two answers I always got for our team were amber and scoliosis.  At one meet, I was the captain. We switched around captain a lot, trying…

I can’t get over these. I’ve pulled them up at least five times.