STORIES

Things I've written down along the way

Twenty years is a lot of internet. These are stories about life, family, teaching, creativity, getting older, going places, and all the things I’ve tried to make sense of along the way.

Some are serious. Some are not. That feels about right.

START HERE

A few stories worth knowing me through.

LIFE & PERSPECTIVE

20 Years on the Internet

What started as a Xanga journal to keep our family updated became twenty-two years of stories, life changes, and oversharing. Now the kids are grown, and I’m finding my way back to writing.

HEALTH

Survivor’s Guilt

Five years after breast cancer, I’ve learned that surviving can carry its own complicated weight, and that gratitude and grief can exist in the same room.

PERSPECTIVE

Hair Regrowth After Cancer

Losing your hair during chemotherapy is difficult, and waiting for it to grow back can feel like forever. Here’s a look at my personal hair regrowth timeline, from the first signs of growth to finding my new normal.

TEACHING

6 Things I Don’t Do Anymore as a Director

After more than three decades of teaching, I’ve learned that being a good director isn’t about doing everything or pleasing everyone. Here are six things I’ve stopped doing—and why I’m a better educator because of it.

TRAVEL

9/11 Museum

Some places stay with you long after you’ve left. Visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City was a powerful reminder of the lives lost, the stories we carry, and why remembering matters.

HEALTH

10 Items You Need for a Mastectomy

Preparing for a mastectomy can feel overwhelming, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Drawing from my own experience, I’m sharing ten practical items that made recovery a little easier.

EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES

There's more where that came from.

Twenty-two years of stories, opinions, adventures, and everything in between. Find something that speaks to you.

Life & Perspective →

Places & Adventures →

Family & Home →

Health & Healing →

Teaching & Creativity →

Everyday Life →

FRESH FROM THE BLOG

The latest things on my mind.

VIEW ALL STORIES →

Twenty Years on the Internet, and I’m Still Figuring It Out

What started as a Xanga journal to keep our family updated became twenty-two years of stories, life changes, and oversharing. Now the kids are grown, and I’m finding my way back to writing.

January 7: My Breast Cancer Story

One lunchtime phone call changed everything. Breast cancer, chemotherapy, surgeries, and a global pandemic tested me in ways I never imagined. But the greatest transformation wasn’t what happened to my body. It was the woman I became on the other side.

7 Things I Wish Every Beginning Color Guard Director Knew

After 34 years of teaching color guard, I’ve learned that being a successful director involves far more than choreography and competition results. From finding your voice to choosing your battles, here are seven lessons I wish I’d known when I started.