The Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood left us full of questions and speculation — Last night I had the pleasure of visiting the old and famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. This intimate, fancy, invite-only attraction was a mystery to us upon arrival. We had no idea what we were in for, besides the obvious magic shows. It’s secretive inside, where you are not allowed…

Country music was ruined for me as a child but the “Brad Pitt of Country” turned that around — My birth mom would blast Dwight Yoakam at full volume as she drove me to school with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. The windows were closed and she was belting the song in between puffs. Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, and George Straight would play on repeat and they…

The distance between my daughter and I made our hearts fonder — The world is small when you are in high school. I remember the feelings. Joy, sadness, low self-esteem, shyness, love, popularity, excitement, and all of those things and feelings ruled my entire being. High school and all of the people in it mattered so much until it was over. Then…

Comparing made me fake and my daughter learned resiliency — If you compare yourself to others, think about what Mark Twain said many years ago. “Comparison is the death of joy” –Mark Twain The internet, social media, magazines, and just someone passing you by in your daily life can steal joy from you in an instant. …

Writing is my unconventional therapy — Therapy is a great tool to turn to when you are struggling. Although, I wish I would have found writing sooner instead of endlessly searching for the perfect therapist. There are many therapists that are part of my past. Each time I would be struggling with the pain of life…

A brief loss of consciousness at a high altitude — I wasn’t quite ready to let my first love go. At the end of our senior year in high school, I caught him cheating on me with my best friend. You would think that would be enough reason to never speak a word to this boy again. But remember, he…

And then, I become a fan — CW: Talk of suicide, depression, and addiction The news of Heather Armstrong’s (aka Dooce) death is all over the internet, especially in the sober Instagram world. I felt instantly connected to her as I read about her life. She was one of the first mommy bloggers and started in 2001…

Our past bad choices can help someone else today — I was an alcoholic. I will be an alcoholic again if I pick up a drink. Although I don’t subscribe to some aspects of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have gained a lot of wisdom from my time in the rooms. I have also gained amazing friendships. There is something about being…

As Mother’s Day approaches, I know I made the right decision — In early May 2022, I blocked my birth mother on all avenues of communication. I blocked her 15 different Facebook accounts and her phone number. The Day I Officially Let Go of the Woman Who Abused Me I blocked my birth mother on all her accounts and I’m freemedium.com There was a 16th Facebook account that I missed and a few months ago she sent me a DM, a simple “How are you?”