When I sat down at my table for the Iris Awards, it never occurred to me that I might have to be prepared to deliver a well-thought and eloquent speech as I accepted an Iris Award for my writing. I was up against four other women who are eloquent word wizards, one of which is…
Happiness
Fat Summer’s Guide to Decision Making in Early Adulthood
Today marks 15 years since Patti LaBelle’s hit song, Lady Marmalade, was remade by Christina Aguilera, Mya, Lil’ Kim, & Pink. I watched the video this morning, reminiscing about those days long ago when it first came out, how much I absolutely loved the remake, and that four of my favorite artists had come together to…
My Mind is a Graveyard of Great Ideas
I am one of the luckiest people in the world. Sure life is crazy and things don’t always go my way. Sure, having a life worth living is a constant decision of YES, I’m going to make this thing happen, but I’m really lucky, especially where friends are concerned. A photo posted by Summer…
Marriage is Messy
I come from a family who has treated divorce kind of like car buying. One of my parents has been married the same number of times as the number of arms an octopus has. Another has been married the same number of times as people in my immediate family. I’m on my second marriage. Yep, it’s true. My…
The Key to Happiness is . . .
I want you to stop and think for a minute, about the things that make you happy. What is it for you? What gives you that bubbly, my cup runneth over feeling of happiness? If your answer was of something tangible, I want you to listen closely. Try to follow along the best you can….
I Hear Voices & They’re Loud, Obnoxious, and Difficult to Ignore
I’ve never been diagnosed schizophrenic, but some days I wonder. I’m not overly paranoid or anything, but I talk to myself – a lot. Maybe that’s just a function of being a creative, but I spent a lot of my youth making up songs when someone would walk in the room and catch me ranting…
When it’s Just Not Meant to Be
Like the wind, people come and go into our lives on a daily basis. Some of those people touch us and become close to us and change the trajectory of our lives. Others are consistent, like your favorite cashier at the grocery store, but beyond superficial niceties and some care that the person looks happy…
Things I Know to be True
For me, looking back on 2015 is going to be a lot like looking at my favorite rollercoaster being destroyed by a tornado seconds after I get off the ride. It was a year full of great things and a year marked by difficulty and tragedy. In November I lamented about how I refused to look…
No Click Bait Needed. This One’s That Good.
Sometimes life is hard, that’s a given. But sometimes life is also really amazing. I always thought life was one or the other or somewhere in between. It’s crazy to think that there could be life that exists in both places at once. It would have never occurred to me that it was even possible…
A Christian’s Perspective on the Religious Freedom Law
Hi there! You may not know this, but I’m a Christian. Some might call me a “bad Christian”. Others might say I’m lost and rebellious. Some might say I lost my way. I don’t really go to church anymore. I can’t even say I DO church anymore, as worship is rarely at the forefront of…