I hurt my back. I have no idea how this happened. There was no “precipitating event” as they say; it just occurred. One day I was fine, the next I was starting to get stiff, and by the next morning my lower back was having uncontrollable spasms and I was in extraordinary pain. The doctor… Continue reading Stuff I notice when I’m in pain
The other morning I made the usual drive to drop Daughter off at school. We made our way through the line of cars to the drop off area, and I said my usual morning words. I told her she’s awesome and intelligent. I told her she’s strong and funny. I told her to go… Continue reading Go be amazing
When I was a student teacher, I was fortunate enough to work with some pretty amazing masters in their classrooms. One of them, a wise and hilariously sardonic intermediate teacher who was nearing the end of her career, noticed my leanings towards anxiety long before I had any clinical diagnosis, and pulled me aside for… Continue reading It’s all in the cards
Lately I’ve been feeling pretty frustrated about the attitude that Daughter has had with me. I’ve written about it in a few ways, and I’ve written about ways that I have attempted to handle it. Some of them have been successful, and some have been less so. Even when I have a day or a… Continue reading We’ve all got problems
I’m a sort of obnoxious parent. For reasons that are right for my family and me, I rationalize and reason with Daughter so that she is sure to understand the consequences she receives for her actions almost all of the time. This goes for positive and negative consequences, and it works for us. Daughter is… Continue reading To reason or not to reason
Like many people during this time of year, I like to watch some of the award shows televised for those of us not famous enough to score a ticket. I enjoy the gowns and tuxes in a sort of old Hollywood way. I also really like to see what movies look great as a… Continue reading And the award goes to…
I have been very fortunate to have been able to live in places where I have easily found the right people to befriend. The recent relocation of my family has been no different. This past week was a wonderful example of how that good fortune continues. A new friend, a tentative “we talk at pickup… Continue reading The gifts that made this my home
Things have been pretty weighty around Elephants in the Room lately, and I need to spend some time on more lighthearted things for my own peace of mind. Today I would love to talk to you about guilty pleasures. At my house, when we talk about guilty pleasures we are most often referring to music… Continue reading Guilty pleasures
This post will be hard for me to write, but I have loyal readers now and a few have made a request. Also, some events have happened around my loved ones over the past week that have motivated me to share. I know it is hubris to think that my little blog could… Continue reading This is a gift
Something that I will never understand is why people judge others based on appearance. I have a few things about me that can make others jump to conclusions, and it frustrates me to no end. For example, I am fat, but I am also not unhealthy. That doesn’t make sense to some people, including… Continue reading This is my story
Elephants in the Room 