“The biggest challenge for you must have been acting like you were reluctant to take your clothes off.” I love this (paraphrased) observation that my friend B made after seeing me recently in Expressions Community Theater’s production of “Calendar Girls.” I interpreted it as praise of my acting chops, and it made me feel very…

“I can’t answer that question now. I have to blog about it first.”  The question in question was “What is your favorite line in the show that you speak?” It was posed by one of my awesome Calendar Girls’ castmates, Joanna, a couple of weeks before we opened via our group chat. Joanna thoughtfully explained…

The main thing I look for in a hotel is a workout room. The second thing is a bar, but I can usually find one nearby so that’s not a dealbreaker. (A free breakfast can definitely be a perk, but is sometimes more hassle than it’s worth).  So when I saw one of the recommended…

At church this Sunday, I got several compliments on my western-themed costume. Folks thought it was perfect for the Dolly Parton song (“Wildflowers”) that I played percussion on. Someone even asked if I had rented it from a costume shop.  I loved the positive attention and feedback. But I wasn’t wearing a costume. I was…

Even though this is just a two person play, sometimes I’m not the co-star. Sometimes, I’m not even on stage.  After 30 years of marriage, I’m just starting to learn the lesson that sometimes, Chad isn’t thinking about me.  This may sound a little harsh, but it’s actually rather freeing. This shift in perspective is…

There are some things that I move quickly on (maybe too quickly): Replying to an email, buying tickets to a concert, blaming Chad for something. But for other things, I can put off making a decision or taking action for a long time.  I often delay making purchases. It’s not because I’m not materialistic–I like…

Chad’s quest to become a minister was almost thwarted by my chip eating habits.  “WHAT are you doing?!” he recently asked as I was digging around in a chip bag trying to retrieve the smallest chip bits.  He wasn’t exactly disapproving–just deeply confused. So confused that I could see his brain shutting down. He was…

This year I took my birthday observance to a new level (not saying in which direction) and decorated a birthday tree. My birthday tree was initially our Christmas tree. We broke with our tradition and put up an artificial tree this year. I was excited by this change–I didn’t think Chad would be up for…

I had high hopes for my recent vacation to Mexico for Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna music festival, but I never dreamed I would experience the enchanting sight of a crowd batting around small inflatable horses.  We were watching the band Muna perform their song “Anything But Me,” which opens with the awesome lyric “You’re…

I just bought a fanny pack. I don’t know who I am anymore. Okay, I do know who I am. I’m a middle-aged lady who is about to embark on a vacation to Mexico to attend Brandi Carlile’s music festival, and I got sucked into a time vortex at Target trying to find gear* at…