“Did you know? $25,000.” Dana Wilkey said this about a pair of sunglasses on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and I think about it more than I should. Not because I have $25,000 sunglasses. But because I understand, on a spiritual level, the impulse to announce the value of something you acquired. This weekend…
I want to talk about bras. Specifically — the social expectation that both Gizmo and I must wear one every single time we go outside. Gizmo’s bra is her harness. Pink mesh, black trim, completely non-negotiable for any public appearance. She puts it on with the resigned energy of someone who understands the assignment but…
The Situation Our neighbor’s dog Winston was missing. If you have ever lost a dog — or watched someone lose a dog — you know the specific panic that comes with it. The way your stomach drops. The way you call their name and the silence answers back. The way you start checking under things,…
I want to start with something that nobody told me before I became a parent. Not the sleepless nights — everyone warns you about those. Not the financial reality — people mention that too. Not even the logistical chaos of keeping a small human alive and functioning on a daily basis. What nobody warned me…
I want to address something before we go any further. My seven year old son wears Vineyard Vines shirts I found at Goodwill for $3. His Nike shorts came from a thrift store. His entire wardrobe is a testament to the fact that wealthy people donate extraordinary things and I am not too proud to…
I dominated the soccer field in the 90s. I want to lead with that because it is important context for everything that follows. I was out there. I was competing. I was a child who spent the majority of her free time outside, unsupervised, running around with other kids until someone’s mom called us in…
Someone recently asked me what I watch to unwind after a long day of making high stakes decisions. I told them the truth: Real Housewives… Secret Lives of Mormon Wives… Whatever Bravo is currently airing that involves true broads. They looked at me like I had said something concerning. Here’s what I wanted to say:…
Let me tell you something about balance. I come home to a seven-year-old, a husband, and a Cavapoo named Gizmo who has decided that the couch is hers and we are guests. I run three days a week and I recently started Pilates. I go on walking meetings. At the end of a hard day…
I want to be very clear about something: I was not a dog person. I know. I know. But it’s true. I was a pharmacist living my life in Pittsburgh — working long hours, making high stakes decisions, coming home exhausted — and the last thing I thought I needed was a dog. Dogs were…
I want to be honest with you upfront: I am not a fancy girl. I’m a pharmacist living in Pittsburgh with a husband, a seven year old son, and a Cavapoo named Gizmo who has no idea she’s a dog. I work hard, I value quality, and I have discovered something that the retail industry…