It's what people say when you're at an uncomfortable height. It's advice and admonishment. It's a warning against the inevitable void that will entice you to fall. It could be a bend from reality, a willful ignorance of what actually exists. At some point, we have to look down and get real. We have to … Continue reading Don’t look down
It's October 2021, and in case you didn't realize it, 2022 is just around the corner. Almost two years since the world changed. I mean, the world is always changing, but a global pandemic will do a number on "normalcy." Don't worry, though, I won't rush through the last two months of the year. Fall … Continue reading Breaking my COVID vows
Even before I was old enough to have a job in the traditional sense, working on the weekends, particularly Saturdays, was a concept I knew well. Many a Saturday morning, I woke up at a decent time (not by my own accord), perused the "to-do list" written by my mother, and with my sisters we … Continue reading The Problem of Saturday
Mental illness is a bitch. She's the shadow behind you when you look in the mirror. She's the one who whispers, "I'll always be with you." And she's not wrong. I had a stark realization that this will forever be with me. I can't shake it. You name it, I've tried everything. Prayer. Medication. Meditation. … Continue reading My constant companion(s)
Here in the Mid-Atlantic winter is wrapping up, coming to a close. While it is mid-February and we still see frozen precipitation of every kind (and least of all snow, sadly), there are signs that longer and warmer days are coming. We have been walking the dog in the dark for what seems like months … Continue reading Wintering is almost over
It's okay to step away from something, even if you've been doing it for years. Especially if you've been doing it for years. It's something I've been trying to tell myself. Unfortunately, some of my time that I've rediscovered as I've stepped away from commitments is steeped in guilt, kind of like the half-drunk mug … Continue reading You are not your calendar
It's Sunday and the sight of the fluffy flakes calling outside is enough to bring tears to my eyes with the anticipation of rogue, anarchic mid-afternoon caffeine soon to hit my veins. As I wait for the coffee to brew, I lean against the doorjamb and observe that the shade of the heavy clouds matches … Continue reading The calm in the winter storm
I don't mean that the act of not drinking is so difficult. I mean, it can be, especially on the Saturday of a long weekend where I just feel good all day, and what could make it better besides a lovely cocktail or two? In all honesty though, overall it hasn't been difficult for me … Continue reading Choosing to not drink is easy; sobriety is hard
I think so many people across God's green earth would agree with the sentiment of "Good riddance, 2020." "Peace out." "Fuck off." "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Twenty-twenty was a year. And damn, does it feel good to be about three weeks away from it, to have 2020 growing smaller … Continue reading “Good riddance, 2020.”
I look at houses online, a lot. Maybe too much. Sometimes I look at houses in my neighborhood, sometimes in my hometown. Sometimes I look at houses in places I've lived before. I pore over lot size and price per square foot and judge the lighting or staging I see. But mostly I imagine what … Continue reading Spending time with Past, Present, and Future (no, this isn’t my version of A Christmas Carol)
MPM 2.0: mercy unmasked 