May 17, 2022Member-onlyA Commencement Speech from a Not-At-All-Famous PersonI may not be Oprah or the late Steve Jobs, but here are a few words of advice I would like to give those graduating college this month… It is normal to be lonely, weirded out, and a little scared: You are leaving your home of four (or more) years…Graduation3 min readGraduation3 min read
Dec 21, 2021Thank You for Showing UpYesterday I asked my therapist a question: “How are you doing… really?” I started seeing a therapist about two years ago. At the time, it was about a mental health tuneup. It later turned into a lifeline when facing unexpected situations like: “You have cancer” and “You may never sing…Mental Health2 min readMental Health2 min read
Nov 12, 2021The Ultimate Caregiver Gift Guide and the One Thing You Should Never DoOne in five Americans (or 21.5%) cares for another adult or child with special needs. You probably know one of these family caregivers. You may want to help make the tough job of caregiving a little easier. A gift is a lovely way to do that. But kindness doesn’t always…Caregivers6 min readCaregivers6 min read
Aug 27, 2021Member-onlyHow This Author Made the Best Audiobook By Doing Nothing At AllWhile my ultimate dream was to get my book published, getting an audiobook made was the shiny unicorn trailing right behind it. This is because my ears are rarely unoccupied. No, I’m not a music lover. Words are my jam. This explains my addiction to audiobooks and podcasts. I wear…Audiobooks4 min readAudiobooks4 min read
Mar 8, 2021Member-onlyTime to Be Someone’s Champion #IWD2021 #ChooseToChallengeI love that International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate achievement. I have had the great fortune to be mentored and inspired by exceptional women — including the fantastic one to whom I now report. But that’s not the whole story: I would be remiss if I didn’t also…Iwd20212 min readIwd20212 min read
Jan 19, 2021Member-onlySo This Crazy Thing Happened: I Got Cancer!I usually do my annual round of doctor visits in the fall. As kids go back to school and the air gets crisp, I head to the land of needles and scales. It was at my annual gynecological exam the good doctor said: “You don’t usually get to feel one…Cancer5 min readCancer5 min read
Nov 13, 2020Member-onlyThe Most Revealing Interview Question I’ve Ever AskedInterviews rely on hiring managers to develop a connection with a job candidate over the course of 25–45 minutes. This is difficult enough when you meet each other for the first or second time in person. Now, double the difficulty factor when you’re both virtual. Regardless of the interview format…HR4 min readHR4 min read
Published inSlackjaw·Oct 9, 2020Member-onlyI Listened To 80s Music And Decided To Be OffendedDuring these divisive times, I decided to take a hard approach to some easy listening. My plan was to enjoy 80s tunes with the 2020 filter applied. Here’s how it went for the first seven songs: #1: “Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car” performed by Billy Ocean Song Premise: Man sees his dream woman and waxes poetic about taking her on…Humor2 min readHumor2 min read
Sep 6, 2020Member-onlyHow I Found a Publisher for My First Book in Under Six MonthsLast year, I set the goal to write a book in under a year. Mission accomplished. This year, I set my sights on finding a publisher in a lot less time. Here are the strategies I used to meet that goal and lessons learned along the way. #1: Know and…Writing6 min readWriting6 min read
Published inThe Bigger Picture·Sep 3, 2020Member-onlyGod, We Need to TalkA break-up/make-up story — For a long time, God and I got along just fine. I stopped by and visited on the holidays. I sent up the occasional good word. I made the occasional ask. God would then do what God did. He granted the occasional favor. He occasionally wiped a loved one out…Relationships6 min readRelationships6 min read
