“God, give me clarity.”
It was the only prayer I could manage, laying there on the edge of my bed at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on a work day.
I’d been fading in and out of numbness for almost a week.  I’d find my center, pick my head up to do something with it, and it [...]

I am not a victim.
Since Monday, I have been overwhelmed with emails, text messages, voice mails and twitters of concern.
I’m sorry, the say.
Are you OK?, they ask.
And every time I read or hear those words, I cringe a little at having evoked a misplaced surge of encouragement.
Don’t be sorry, I say.
I’m OK.
I’m not surprised, of [...]

“Is this for the shower?” Emma asked.
I was going through my morning “get ready” routine while she and Devin waited patiently for me to take them to school.
“Yep,” I replied.
“What’s it do?” she asked.
“It takes your hair off,” I told her.  And causes chemical burns like a motherfucker, I thought.
“Ohhhhhhh,” she nodded, impressed with her [...]

This is one of those days when I wish I had an anonymous blog.
Or that I was better at faking it.
I know people who do it.  They put on a happy face and pretend like nothing is wrong.  They dance for their quarters because it’s what is expected of them.  And they do it so [...]

“Alright, Mom.  I have to go.”
Our morning conversation was beginning to bleed into my working hours and I could no longer ignore the screams from my inbox.
“OK, baby.  I love you.”
“I love you, too.  Thanks for listening to me be a raging whore all morning.”
“Mmm… I’d say raging bitch.”
“Oh.  Right.”
“Technically I don’t think I can [...]

I pride myself on being one of those moms.
You know. The enlightened mom.
My kids have seen me naked and no one oohs or ahhs or runs screaming from the room. They know girls have boobs. Meh. No big deal. Boys and girls are different. Meh. Whatever.
We can ask [...]

I used to think that I could change the world.
I believed in the power of words to change the way people think. I believed that compassion and persistence could alter people’s perceptions. I believed in a society that wanted to do the right thing.
I used to believe I could make a difference.
The realization [...]