Turns out, parenthood is more than just frolicking in fields. — The internet is jam-packed with curated, highly staged photos of dear little ones, beaming delightedly, the lighting perfect. Tanned, athletic moms have the sun just peeking over their shoulders in star-shaped flares. Floppy hats abound. Motherhood is a blessing, they say. Well, sure. But it’s also a shitnado. This is…

Let’s talk about trust, baby — I’ve been a B2B marketer basically my whole career, and for pretty much that entire time, I’ve hated it. Why? Well, for the same reason everyone hates marketing (and marketers). We’re snake oil salesmen…right? This is personal. It’s why I rarely talk about my career. It’s why I write instead…

Somehow, this story only gets worse from there. — The year was 2010. Iceland had battled a blanket of ash. The iPad was brand-spanking-new. The wheels were only just starting to come off Charlie Sheen. And I was embarking on my first trip to Europe. I was traveling to meet French coworkers for the first time. …

Dementia means saying goodbye again and again — The first time was maybe six years ago at a family gathering. She called my sister the wrong name — and not my name, either. A completely random one, with no context at all. She caught herself and made a joke. …

I’ve committed strawberry genocide, among many, many others — I need help. Roses, tomatoes, cacti, ferns, palm trees, orchids, begonias, countless unidentified decorative plants: I’ve killed them all. Yet I’m drawn to their beauty. I’m afraid I’ll never stop. I long for a house full of vibrant greenery and fresh air; a yard packed with a chaotically beautiful cottage…

Please, step into our office. — We once hugged the round bellies of wine glasses and the sweaty curves of beer bottles. We proudly bore the smudgy stamps of rock shows held in smoky, cramped bars, back when such things existed. We packed overnight bags for road trips and rolled board game dice until 1am. …

Why my journey to feminism took nearly three decades. — As a 90s teen, I heard “girl power” crowed almost daily. Never mind that it was hyper-commercialized and leveraged the worst stereotypes. In my teens and early to mid twenties, I claimed that feminism was dead; that we’d achieved equality and needed to move on to other causes. I honestly…

An open letter & handy reference guide for those men who send unsolicited “surprises”. — Dearest Sir, Yes, I suppose you may be delighted if you were to receive surprise boobs in your inbox. Hetero men seem to never quite get enough of those. Fine. But we ladies (and in this case, I am going to go ahead and speak for all of us) are…

We know all about Ring around the Rosie. But what’s the truth behind these? — Ding, Dong, Bell This lovely rhyme tells the story of a young boy, Little Johhny Thin, who puts a cat down a well, and another young boy, Little Tommy Stout, who swoops in and saves said cat. …