Published in Breast Stories·PinnedMember-onlyBathing Suits and Big BoobsDaughter not like mother — Last week my seventeen-year-old daughter and I sat down to do one of our best-loved activities. After dinner one night we hunkered down at the dining room table with our favorite cheesy catalog — Venus. No matter how many times we cancel the catalog, Venus comes in the mail every…Breasts4 min read
Published in Breast Stories·PinnedMember-onlyZendaya Doesn’t Need to Show Her BoobiesBecause in Euphoria the men are taking their turn — I’m watching Euphoria right now. People warned me against it because I have a seventeen-year-old daughter. I’ve heard people say that it glorifies drug use and casual sex. …Zendaya3 min read
PinnedMember-onlyAging with GraceThe evolution of memory — This past week I went to Chicago to spend time with my mother and stepfather. My mother is 80 and my stepfather is 93. About fifteen years ago they moved to a 100-unit apartment a block from the house where I grew up. …Aging6 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·PinnedMember-only“I Wish I Was 60”Contemplating the middle ground — For the last year, I have been working as a contact tracer. This is not my life’s passion, it was just a stop-gap job to transition from selling my business. I wanted a job and the pandemic was on in full force so it worked out. About ten months into…Aging4 min read
Published in Middle-Pause·Aug 9Member-only“Not Bad for 53”Lessons from my middle-aged bikini. — Last week I looked online for “bikinis for middle-aged bodies.” My body has changed. My middle corridor is like a barrel. I look at my daughter’s slender waist and wonder why I didn’t wear a bikini when I could, when my body looked like hers. Bikinis are so much easier…Middle Age5 min read
Jul 15Member-onlyI Miss Giving BirthThat one true moment of parental competence — I just read a beautiful essay by Ann Patchett called, “There Are No Children Here.” The essay is about her lifelong knowing that she never wanted to have children and the ever-present pressure and assumption that somehow, deep down, she actually did want to be a mother. Patchett writes after…Parenting4 min read
Published in The Land of the Forgotten·Jul 9Member-onlyJust Keep SwimmingGetting to shore, one stroke at a time — I have COVID. Along with half of the people I know and millions of other people in this country and around the world, I have COVID right now. For me, this means holing up in my basement and isolating myself to protect my partner from getting sick. I’ve watched way…Gen X6 min read
Published in The Motherload·Jul 9Member-onlyHang Up and LaughWhat happens when the screen shuts down. — Last weekend my friend and I took our daughters on a short trip to look at colleges. The girls just finished their junior years, their first semi-normal year since they started high school. …Teenagers3 min read
Published in Middle-Pause·Jul 4Member-onlyMenopausal MadnessA time-limited period of temporary insanity — My stepfather had a friend who described adolescence as, “a temporary period of insanity followed by an excellent prognosis.” Menopause is a lot like this. Big and little shifts happen and if we don’t remind ourselves that we are in a period of temporary insanity, it can feel totally overwhelming. …Menopause4 min read
Published in Crow’s Feet·Jun 23Member-onlyThe Polar Bear PauseUnderstanding menopause — About five years ago, my friend Kate and I birthed the organization Launch Your Pause. We created and hosted a three-day retreat, Put Some Claws in Your Pause, offering women at all stages of menopause an opportunity to learn about, explore and celebrate all things menopause. …Menopause3 min read