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10 Reasons I Still Blog

    Two weekends ago, I did a show. Not an LTYM show, which I now know how to do backwards and forwards, but a solo humor show. I combined a selection of live-readings from my blog, with a slide show and a bit of stand-up comedy, for an hour-long presentation at The Natural Parenting Expo.  As we entered the venue, my dad joked that I would serve as the “un-natural parenting” portion of the expo. I shushed him because he unknowingly stole my opening line. I already have his face (with a slighter goatee) so I… Read More »10 Reasons I Still Blog

    Don’t Fill The Void

      I’m sorry. Ann can’t come to the phone right now, she’s busy filling The Void with popcorn and social media scrolling. Lately I’ve been pondering an idea of a void and how I fill that void. I don’t mean a void in the sense of a gaping wound or a need never sated, but rather my tendency to fill an everyday/many-times-per-day void, when a healthier choice might be to leave it empty. The Void came to mind the other day, as I watched my inner-critic wreaking havoc on my inner-peace. I had this epiphan-ette: When… Read More »Don’t Fill The Void

      Boy Boomerang (My Erma BomBUST)

        Below find my non-winning entry for the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Congratulations to all of the winners! High fives to all of the other losers! Boy Boomerang My first-born spent his newborn months sleeping in the crook of my arm. The crib served as his favorite place to slumber… for 20 minutes maximum, and only after 45 minutes rocking to every ballad in my musical theater repertoire. I’d gingerly place him in said crib, army crawl from the room, and pray. Twenty minutes later found us samba-ing down the hallway, me belting I feel sleepy!… Read More »Boy Boomerang (My Erma BomBUST)

        A lesson from the stage

          Years of voice lessons, weeks of rehearsals and countless hours of my youth spent singing along with Maria from West Side Story, Luisa from The Fantasticks, and Irene Cara from Fame (all manner of musical theater ingenues with names ending in “a”) prepared me for this moment as Eliza in My Fair Lady. On preview night, the black box theater audience held a smattering of my actor peers. By this point in my University Theater Acting Career I had the confidence to carry a show and had done so in two previous productions. I stood… Read More »A lesson from the stage

          #WhereILivedWednesday: Reservoir Park

            Two blocks from the house I grew up in, Reservoir Park made for my shortcut, my playground, and my respite. We called it “Radio Park” because of the radio tower. It seemed impossible that you couldn’t climb that radio tower when you looked at how teeny-tiny the triangulated rungs became near the airplane light at the top. You could see that light from my brother’s bedroom window. Radio park typically stood empty, unless one of us brought a friend. People walked by with their dogs, or used it for a shortcut to get from Larkin… Read More »#WhereILivedWednesday: Reservoir Park

            Thank you Best of Madison! I medaled in blogging!

              Today I feel like an Olympian, on her way to a cable-network home redesign reveal. I won an award AND it matches my uniform–my new (still in process) blog redesign by Sarah Fite!! In January I received a mysterious email notifying me I’d won a Best of Madison medal. The email did not articulate what or how I placed in this contest–I did not even know I was nominated (and therefore spared you all pleas for votes)–but I assumed the prize regarded LTYM.  I had recently written my blogging midlife crisis post, so when I… Read More »Thank you Best of Madison! I medaled in blogging!

              Here’s to our 10 worst dates ever, Valentine! (Blog hop)

                Dear Husband, Sixteen years ago, the day after Valentine’s day, you proposed to me in a serene and sincere moment in the wilderness. Instead of detailing that pinnacle moment of our romantic history this Valentine’s Day, I mined a few doozys from the ghost of our dating past [COBWEBS] [CREEKS] [CHAINS AND GHOULS!] 10) 1996-1998: All of the plays I ever took you to in Chicago– especially those I acted in and/or those involving unwarranted nudity in close proximity. Also that one with me on stage making out with some actor-freak, and specifically that musical… Read More »Here’s to our 10 worst dates ever, Valentine! (Blog hop)

                The Children Ate My Gratitude

                  “Mom? Can I have one?” I looked up from my computer, expecting to see Nine holding the pack of gum I keep in my purse, or the new bag of potato chips from the pantry. He had nothing in his hands. “One of what?” I asked, peering around my computer screen. He pointed down on my desk to a small silver box originally intended to hold playing cards. It had once belonged to my Grandma Jo. “Seven had one,” He continued. “What do you mean, he had one?” I asked, no closer to understanding what… Read More »The Children Ate My Gratitude

                  Oh COME ON Joel and Julia (Parenthood Spoiler)

                    **Spoiler Alert: You might not want to read this if you aren’t current with Parenthood episodes** photo What’s happening on the show: So from what we, the Loyal Viewing Audience can gather given the age of their daughter Sydney, Joel (once-SAHD supreme) and Julia (once partner in a law firm supreme) became wed a decade or so ago.  Their relationship has endured many challenges including: secondary infertility, losing a baby to an ethically-questionable private adoption gone wrong (Damn you, Coffee Cart Girl for keeping your baby!), and disagreements over how to handle Victor’s falling behind… Read More »Oh COME ON Joel and Julia (Parenthood Spoiler)

                    #WhereILivedWednesday : Chadbourne Hall

                      Maria and I decided not to be roommates. We felt we should branch out in college—meet new people, have new experiences, and not test our girlhood friendship with a loft and mini-fridge. We both chose Chadbourne Hall, an all-girls dorm, because we liked the location and didn’t want to deal with drunk gross boys . During the previous summer I’d cut six inches off my hair, so my hair grazed my shoulders instead of my back. Apparently back said “high school,” while shoulders said “college.” I had my first real boyfriend, and first love that… Read More »#WhereILivedWednesday : Chadbourne Hall