How a curious and wacko kid became an oddly-perceptive adult — I was a snoopy little fat kid who listened in on my parents through the heater vents. We all did — my brother, sister and me. We lived in an old farmhouse with a large grate at the top of the stairs. Lying on the floor with our heads on…

The Camino de Santiago melted my fat and built my muscles — Your body fat melts like butter. Your feet widen and flatten. Your skin browns, whether or not you use sunscreen. Your body will respond to the demands, and serve you well. It can break down, however. Be cautious. In Pamplona, I met an extremely athletic twenty-something who twisted his ankle…

I learned I could leave my body during trauma — CW: physical abuse and rape. As a child, I kept a diary. Into this diary went every feeling and event. This included a horrible incident that happened when I had a serious crush on a neighbor boy, two years older. The neighbor boy got me drunk and raped me. It…

Fascinating to consider the effect of power on any individual — especially who should have empathy — I clicked into a movie called “The Captain” on Amazon Prime without much investment in viewing it. I’ve seen a hundred war movies, and it’s got to be good to hold my interest. Immediately I was mesmerized. I was also worried, as it was in black and white. In my…

The neighborhood is up in arms, and last night was lit up like Christmas — It’s annoying when I see pissed-off people staring at TV cameras and making the ‘not in my back yard! argument about homeless people. For years, I’ve been an advocate for tiny-house parks for people without a home. I think it’s a great solution to helping people who need a roof…

She and her husband needed to get it off their chest, and smackdab onto mine — I always know who’s having a baby. Who’s getting a divorce. Whose kids are kicking heroin. Who got herpes from their boyfriend. Who wants an affair. Whose husband is carrying on with the neighbor. People tell me things. I don’t always want to know the things they confess, but it’s…

A curated sample of some of my successful memoirs — Memoir’s always been my genre. I write about my life, and there’s plenty to write about. I’ve been reckless, stupid, risky, and some of my life decisions have reflected that. I’ve also loved a lot of wonderful people, and have what I consider a generous view of human nature. My…

Stick-on star covers, anyone? — The first time I had a nipple accident was when I was on the dance team. I had, against all odds, made the team. This was despite being what was considered kind of heavy for a dancer. At 5'7", I weighed about 140 pounds. Oh, those were the days! I’d…

The wearin’ o’ the green comes first — Here are some ways to celebrate. I always dress in green on St. Patrick’s Day, remembering my childhood when those who forgot to wear green got pinched. I have green eyes, but that didn’t work. According to online sources, St. Patrick was the ‘patron saint’ of Ireland, and his death…