One of the great things about reaching ‘a certain age’ is that I now have a wardrobe of what my mom would call foundation pieces and closet staples. The foundation pieces include basics like black skirts in every possible length, a range of camisoles and tank tops that work underneath jackets and sheer tops and […]

Style

March 7, 2025

Nuuly is My New Clothing Rental Obsession

A couple of posts ago, I shared that I’m devoting 2025 to pursuing my creative dreams — and so far, things are going pretty well! I have lots of ideas and I’m plugging away at them and feeling good about the response I’m getting as I put them out in the world. The biggest challenge […]

Style

March 3, 2025

A Little Pep Talk Before We Get Going

As winter drags on, you, like me, are probably constantly finding yourself in need of a good TV series to binge. Well, I’m here to help you out with a list of a few all-time favorite TV series. All of them can be found on the major streaming platforms and all of them were excellent, […]

Personal

February 7, 2025

Here are 11 of my All-Time Favorite Bingeworthy TV Series

Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, I know it’s been a while, but I can explain, I promise! My plan was to make this post (the one when I revealed the truth about my marriage) the last one on Suburban Turmoil, and then debut Something Totally Different a couple of weeks later. Although I wanted to […]

Personal

January 9, 2025

So Here’s the Deal

Am I ready to leap right into a discussion of my dating life in this, the second post ever on my new blog? Well, that’s actually a story in itself — and it’s one that is playing out much like a quirky chick lit romance novel, now that I think about it.  The kind that […]

Nashville Guide

September 13, 2024

Nashville Date Night: Cheekwood’s Concerts Under the Stars

Well! Fancy meeting you here! If you’ve come from Suburban Turmoil, you’re probably wondering what all this is about. The fact is, a lot has changed since I started that blog back in 2005. For one thing, my kids, known on the blog as Punky and Bruiser, grew up! Punky is now 20 and a […]

Personal

September 11, 2024

Welcome to Something Totally Different!

I don’t know who needs to read this, but — This is just a reminder that abuse is never okay. It doesn’t matter if your partner is successful or famous. It doesn’t matter if it only gets physical once or twice a year. It doesn’t matter if he has abuse or trauma in his own […]

Deep Thoughts

July 30, 2024

A Public Service Announcement

For two decades of my life, I was horribly lonely. Obviously, being lonely had never been part of the plan — After all, I’d spent a lot of time and energy trying to make friends when I moved to the suburbs twenty-odd years ago. I joined moms’ clubs and book clubs and Bible studies, volunteered […]

Personal

August 17, 2023

Kara Kemp’s Wellness Weekend changed my life

For more than two decades, The Covenant School has been woven into the background of my everyday life. Nestled in the woods of one of Nashville’s wealthiest neighborhoods, you probably wouldn’t even notice it unless you happen to know someone working or attending school there. It’s small – only kindergarten through sixth grade – but […]

Deep Thoughts

April 8, 2023

In a time of despair, Nashville’s student protestors are my new heroes

Every December since 2005, famed Nashville pianist Jen Gunderman (and by ‘famed’ I mean she just played with Brandi Carlile on SNL) and her friends have played the entire Charlie Brown Christmas album in concert. It’s one of my favorite holiday events, and I was lucky enough to get to go with some of my […]

Personal

December 20, 2022

‘Cause There’s No Place Like Humiliation for the Holidays