I held the phone, hesitating, wondering who to call — My husband and I walk our dog on a riverside path every morning around the same time. We’re lucky to have this open space right next to our house. I had an early appointment, so we were out early one morning. My husband noticed a tent tucked under a large…

The Census’s divisive history on race, the white majority, and me — My college application essay was titled “Leaving Half of Me at the Tip of a Pencil.” I originally wrote a different piece that has since faded from my memory. …

My most vivid memories are still about feeling fat and ugly — A few weeks ago, my Facebook feed filled with friends posting their high school senior photos as a show of solidarity with the class of 2020. I seemed like a fun, light-hearted thing to do amid the constant stream of bad news about COVID-19. …

COVID-19 crisis shows it’s time for mental health stigmas to end — Dr. Phil, I want to tell you about all the amazing technology in my car. It has adjustable shoulder seat belts in every seat, including that middle seat in the back. Every new vehicle was required by law to have seat belts for every seat in 1968. That regulation and…

Daily reflections are a gift during these unprecedented times — In April, my writing group used “reflections on life during the COVID pandemic” as a writing prompt for submissions. We were meeting online, and the topic felt like a good exercise for writing out some of our feelings. …

My first face mask was a mess, but so is our addiction to cheap clothes — When the recommendation to wear face masks came from the CDC, like many other people, I pulled out my old sewing machine. …

Making sure home yogis practice safely should be a top priority — My friend works in executive education. The other day, she said, “I have all these brilliant professors who are having problems figuring out Zoom.” I laughed, “Really? It seems yoga teachers have figured out what all those PhDs haven’t?” Right after the world went home in the name of social…

Capitalizing on my creative thoughts feels just out of reach — I’m going to keep this short because I fear that if I don’t, my brain will seize on this next shiny object and abandon this post altogether. Usually, when an idea for a story strikes me, I can sit down and run with it, scribbling or typing whatever comes to…

Recipes and Serving Suggestions for a Pandemic — Are you isolated at home with 192 rolls of toilet paper and nothing to eat? Well, here are some recipes and serving suggestions for putting that cache of TP to excellent, and, we might add, mouth-wateringly delicious use during a pandemic outbreak. Classic TP-tini: Chill a martini glass. Make TP-olives…