This is not just another 2020 drinking story — My name is Michele. I’m a trauma and abuse survivor, cancer survivor, and addiction survivor. I’ve been through the wringer but I’m humble as hell. Ok, I’m done tooting my horn. I’ll briefly explain my past before I get into the meat and potatoes. You can read about my trauma…

Nails and cars went flying as my ice cream addiction grew. — Ice cream. My love affair with ice cream started when I was 15 years old. One of my best friends worked at Baskin Robbins (31 flavors back in the day) and was able to serve as my reference, meanwhile scoring me my first job. We got to work together, along…

Let go of the fear and dive head first — From the moment I stepped onto this platform, I divulged a lot. Maybe too much at times but I came from a place of hiding. I was a fake, living as a fraud for most of my adult life. There were two of me: the mom with a perfect family…

Did our parents have it easier when they didn’t know where we were? — My 18-year-old daughter moved to Massachusetts at the end of August. I thought I would be a paranoid mess, checking her location constantly throughout the day. I used to be like this. Before I quit drinking, I was weirdly wrapped up in my daughters and checked their every move. Now…

A seemingly neverending story with a narcissist — When I woke up yesterday, I saw a Facebook notification on my phone. It was her. Almost 5 months ago, I cut ties with the person who gave birth to me. After a string of nasty messages and years of abuse which led to an absent relationship, I stood up…

This makes me want to cry — A friend of ours died earlier this year from a fentanyl overdose but no other opiates were found in his system. So, it had to have come from Xanax. That was the drug found in his system. A prescription drug. Although, I am not sure if he had a prescription…

Have you ever met a diagnosed sociopath? — When they met, they felt instantly connected. It started off as a friendship and slowly evolved into a love story. They were friends for years but had no inclination of it being anything more than that. Until one day, a little simple flirting began. Their kids were friends, they enjoyed…

Somehow I managed to not be the girl passed out on the toilet — Before heading to Oktoberfest, I thought of it as an extravagant and out-of-control party that was an excuse to celebrate all over the world. Starting in Germany back on October 12, 1810, it commenced the start of the Bavarian culture. Now, the 17-day festival begins in late September and runs…

Am I officially old or are younger people playing, too? Pickleball (noun): a game resembling tennis in which players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net. …