My choir class in the music room, 2007. “I know! I know!” A room full of wiggling students all have their hands up. I hold a large wooden musical staff on my lap. We’re working on note names. I call...

It’s no secret that teachers are struggling. When I was a teacher, making a huge 5 figures a year, I often had to figure out how to make ends meet. For a long time in my early career, I held a second...

I went to see my surgeon for my 3-month checkup last week. It was the first time we’d been face to face since the operating room, the first time he’d seen me walk with my new knee. In short, everyone...

> “Your grandmother is a hypochondriac!” > > “You’re just like her.” These two phrases amounted to the curse of the Wicked Fairy in my life. Primarily uttered by my mother, they were not usually said...

​Time for a reality check. Let’s be honest. I love being busy. I thrive on the rush of last-minute deadlines successfully achieved. I adore procrastination in the name of doing something else. I get...

My neighbor Deb called with some exciting news last week. She’s about to be certified in teaching Japanese forest bathing. Deb and I share the same 3500-acre nature preserve “backyard,” and she wanted...

Due to having Ehlers Damlos Hypermobility Syndrome (EDHS), I’ve had 4 different joint surgeries in my adult life. Three of them were related to dislocations - first in my right shoulder, and then each...

The first weeks after my knee replacement were a blur. I slept fitfully in between getting up to move every hour and being woken up by pain. I followed directions with my pills and tried to “stay ahead”...

Photo credit: The Boneflake Collection by Phillip Wiecherm ​I awoke in a velvet cloud. I felt absolutely nothing when I expected to feel excruciating pain. I thought about how lovely this liminal place...

Arriving at the orthopedic hospital for my knee replacement surgery, I was the calmest I’ve ever been in a surgical situation. My blood pressure clocked in at 134/90. “Hmm,” said the nurse, “that’s pretty...