Category: Uncategorized
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The Lens of Pain
I have 100 people coming to my house in five days. Out of town relatives fly and drive in, starting tomorrow, from four different states. It is my youngest child’s–my only daughter’s–high school graduation. And I’m horizontal. I’m in bed trying to “stay ahead” of #pain that at moments has felt as intense as childbirth…
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Taking Back Her Name
Family Trauma and Healing “…forced her into his car at gunpoint.” After all these years of hearing versions of this story, there it was in its entirety laid out on the blog of a true crime writer, author of forgotten historical crimes, one click from the Reddit post that linked me to it. The headline…
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Reluctant Pet Mother Part II: Grelief
A Dog’s Life “911 what is your emergency?” “Hi, this is not a people emergency. It’s sort of a pet emergency. I wasn’t sure who to call. I’ve locked my elderly dog, I mean we are actually putting him down tomorrow, and I accidentally locked him in the car, with my keys. Do the police…
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Professor Bear: Confessions and Lessons from a Reluctant Pet Mother
My head was in another space. As it always is when I’m about to teach class. But it was a habit to check my phone before entering the classroom. After all, I had young children in school. It could be an emergency. The text was from my neighbor. “Your dog is sitting like a weathervane…
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The point is (not presents) presence
The point is not presents presence We were driving through our quaint New England town the week before Thanksgiving. “Look at that house! Mom, we need to decorate for Christmas!” My sixteen year-old daughter had been playing Christmas music since July. I had an immediate physiological response. Heartburn, I believe. “No,” I said. “It feels…
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I Have Two Followers!
Where are we going with this blog? I have two followers and they are not my Mom, nor my sisters. In fact, I’m not related to them at all. I don’t even know them. It is remarkable to me that two people are remotely interested in my work when I have not done much to…