Formative Days It’s been more than three years since my divorce, but I still find comfort in some traditions that my fabulous ex-wife introduced to me. In this case, I mean the Jewish tradition of the memorial candle, or yahrzeit candle, lit on the day of a loved one’s death to celebrate their life. I […]
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A post from the archives for National Coming Out Day! Celebrate YOU today!
On Being a Pudgy Carbon Based Wonder
Posted: 19th September 2018 by admin in BlogTags: #body image, #fat shaming, #self esteem, #size-ism, #weight management, #women's issues
Yes! Let’s talk about this! Fat shaming happens. A lot. By the medical profession. It doesn’t help. It creates an immediate disconnect between patient and provider. A couple of years ago, I ruptured my ACL while biking. I tore up everything inside my knee. I was referred to a specialty doc for the reconstruction. During […]
From the archives, in honor of those we lost and in honor of those who lost.
Notes on Homesteading and Rugby Shirts
Posted: 6th September 2018 by admin in BlogTags: cooking, friends, gardening, homesteading, humor
The storms this past week have been hard on my peach tree. I watched all through the spring as the hard, fuzzy golfballs grew, blushed, developed an ever-so-slightly detectable give. They all come into peak at the same time so there’s one week each summer that is dedicated to collecting and processing, and the Ball […]
Indoor/Outdoor Entomos
Posted: 17th August 2018 by admin in BlogTags: adulting, home ownership, humor, phobias
Here’s a familiar topic for my readers. It’s summer, after all. How could we get through a whole summer and I haven’t done one entomo post? So I have to do it. Many posts back, we determined that I have entomophobia—the fear of insects. Not ALL insects. Centipedes. Specifically, house centipedes. https://urbantidepool.com/2014/12/16/if-you-knew-what-bugged-me/ https://urbantidepool.com/2017/03/27/bad-ass-adulting-in-entomo-season/ It’s even […]
Lesson from a Barefoot Panhandler
Posted: 15th June 2018 by admin in BlogTags: being present, compassion, connection, gratitude, homeless, kindness, mindfulness, panhandling
There’s almost always a panhandler at the parking lot entrance to the office supply store across town. It’s rarely the same person, so I think the people who station themselves there must stake claim with a first-come, first-serve approach. Sometimes there’s one person. Occasionally there are two people together. Sometimes the person has a backpack […]
Cresting Gently
Posted: 27th May 2018 by admin in BlogTags: aging, grief work, healing, lifespan, Mother's Day, motherless daughters, mothers, personal growth
A yahrzeit candle burns on my counter today, a gesture borrowed from my fabulous former spouse’s traditions and one to which I have gotten quite attached. Today is the 45th anniversary of the mother’s crossing. As I’ve aged, the tumult of this day has diminished and now it more likely and more often leaves me […]
Welcome, Lavender Graduates!
Posted: 8th May 2018 by admin in BlogTags: #LGBT youth, Class of 2018, Lavender graduation, LGBT history, LGBT timeline, Pride, Rebellion
Hello, Lavender Classes of 2018! Greetings, faculty, parents, family and friends! I wanted to start off saying thank you for inviting me, but “inviting me” seems so formal. As the first person in DuPage County who was hired specifically to be gay, I am not known for standing on formality. This feels less like an […]
From the archives, in honor of Lorrie’s birthday and her battle.