“Shit, another one?” That was my first reaction on Friday when I heard about the shooting at a Santa Fe high school. I was not shocked. I was angry. Sad. Fed up. Pissed off. Devastated. Anxious. Heartbroken. Fearful. Frustrated. Hopeless.…
Category: The Things I Need to Say
Happy Hustler’s Day
When I was 15-years-old, my father dropped me off for my first day of work at Aunt Emmie’s Ice Cream Shoppe. Before I got out of the car he made one thing clear. I had to hustle. Dad: Don’t let…
Sorry, Not Sorry
When I bump into someone, I say, “I’m sorry.” Even if that someone was technically the real bumper. If I interrupt a blowhard in one of my meetings, I apologize. Even though that blowhard was probably due for an interruption,…
Dear Meredith Vieira’s Mom
Dear Meredith Vieira’s Mom, I don’t know if this is a true story. But in my mind it is very real. I believe one day years ago, I heard your daughter, Meredith, tell the world something you taught her. It…
To Kindergarten or Not to Kindergarten
In September 1983, I was 5-years-old. So I went to kindergarten. (Shout out to Mrs. DeRiso from St. Margaret’s Catholic School in Little Ferry, NJ.) My parents didn’t question whether I was ready. It never dawned on them that maybe…
#momgry
I hate Legos. I hate the size of them. I hate the amount of them. And I hate all the times they have punctured the arch of my foot. But they keep Grady focused, on task and entertained. So I…
Llaman
Living in Miami can be very challenging for those of us who don’t speak Spanish. For example, I need to register Annie Bea for kindergarten in the fall but I also need to fill out forms to have her transferred…
XOXO
“Don’t be rude. Give your uncle a hug.” “Get back here and give Mr. Whatever a kiss.” “Did you say thank you and give Miss Lady a hug?” “Go give everyone a kiss and a hug goodnight.” I can still…
Dear Teachers,
It’s been five days since a 19-year-old boy went on a shooting spree at a high school here in Florida. I’m tired. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m heartbroken. And I’m torn. On one hand, I want to say the words…
A Letter to a Mom
I just read a story about a woman who secretly delivered her baby in a bathroom stall at the Tucson International Airport. She left her baby boy on the changing table in the women’s room with a note that read,…