Published inMuddyUm·PinnedMember-onlyWe Shaved Our Maine Coon Cat, The Dog Laughed, Then All Hell Broke Loose in Our HouseWho knew cats were so sensitive about their looks? — “True friends stab you in the front” — Oscar Wilde The Pets at Home My family always has pets. We have them in pairs, at least two, sometimes more. Why two at a time? …Pets6 min readPets6 min read
Published inGrief Book Club·PinnedMember-onlyWhat Is a Rainbow Baby Shower?Inviting others to help you balance grief and joy — “Given a choice between grief and nothing, I’d choose grief.” — William Faulkner One of my work friends, Alamada, is getting ready to have her first great-grandbaby. She is throwing a shower for her granddaughter. The shower is unusual, as it is a Rainbow baby shower. …Grief4 min readGrief4 min read
Published inNo Air·PinnedMember-onlyMy Grandfather Told Me, “Don’t Suck That First Dick for Money.”I have followed his wise advice. — My grandfather always said that living is like licking honey off a thorn. – Louis Adamic My Grandfather Magic was a professional grifter. A sharp-dressed handsome man, he made his living cheating people. He talked fast but with an educated Southern lilt — people who judged his book by its…Parenting5 min readParenting5 min read
Published inILLUMINATION-Curated·PinnedMember-onlyI Called My Friend White, Now She Is Not My FriendRace is the issue — “Friendship is like a glass ornament, once it is broken it can rarely be put back together exactly the same way.” -Charles Kingsley I am not friendly. I do not make friends easily, so every real friend I have is precious to me. I recently lost a friend. Making An Adult Friend I am…Race4 min readRace4 min read
1 day agoMember-onlyWe Are the Cat People Helping Our Cats Live Their Best LivesThese boys are big ballers — “Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are God. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and affection, they draw the conclusion that they…Nonfiction4 min readNonfiction4 min read
Published inNew Choices·1 day agoMember-onlySmells Like a Woman with Her Titties Out Being Fed FruitThese are words that make me spend my money — “Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.” — Bart Simpson I am the cool auntie of many nieces and nephews. I am unflappable because I lived such a scandalous young life at their age that nothing they do shocks me. I know for…Christmas4 min readChristmas4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·2 days agoMember-onlyLet Me Help YouConflict Love Poetry — Let me love you, she said He said Life is tricky, she said He said No, I don’t want to, he said She said You are a cheater, he said She said I would give my life for you, she said He said Why didn’t you? she said The idea…Love2 min readLove2 min read
Published inMuddyUm·2 days agoMember-onlyThe New Lenny Williams Song–She Took My DrawersConsider this song an early Christmas gift — Growing up, if my mom liked a particular song, she would play it over and over all day and night. Lenny Williams was one of the first artists my mom and I both loved. I was a young woman in my late twenties, and my mom was ill. …Humor4 min readHumor4 min read
Published inNo Air·2 days agoMember-only104-Year-Old Woman Skydives to Get Guinness World Book RecordAnother quick smile by Toni Crowe — I always keep my eyes open for stories from my hometown, Chicago. I do this because people from Chicago do stuff. I came across a story of a 104-year-old woman who earned the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledgment for being the oldest skydiver. That is definitely something a person…Seniors2 min readSeniors2 min read
Nov 29Member-onlyMedium Math: If I Pay Medium 3X More, Medium Will Pay Writers I Read 4X MoreThe New Medium Friend Program — Someone was smoking something when they devised this new compensation scheme. I need some of whatever it was to activate the kindness in my heart because I do not understand precisely what is in it for me as a writer on this platform. I consider myself a decent person willing…Medium4 min readMedium4 min read