Watch out for vague descriptions, being pressured, and overly excited headhunters — I’ve worked as a freelance writer and dog babysitter in a part-time capacity since October of last year. In October I also left my full-time position as a wound care nurse. That position was my source of insurance, income to pay my bills, and my purpose Monday through Friday. …

I’ve noticed something recently. We all know men have a tendency to “fix” when a woman shares something in her life that is bothering her. We know women usually just want to be heard, validated, encouraged and are not looking for you to solve their issues. Women usually have a…

I learned in nursing school that we used to think that nerve cells were rigid and unchangeable with humans having a set amount at birth, but current science questions the nuance of this statement. …

I felt the unseasonably cool breeze against my skin as I reluctantly took in the aroma of the Wisconsin River — an unsavory mixture of refuse, pollution, and other less-than-appealing substances. I glanced down at my arms as I could hear my rhythmic breathing, noticing a sheen in the sunlight…

Over the weekend, I found myself wrapped up tightly inside my own head thinking about what space means to me. …

There’s a difference between healthy venting and dumping your emotions on somebody else and this difference matters immensely when it comes to the health and well being of the people involved. I’ve noticed something since we started talking more about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and problematic power dynamics. Some men…

When I was a child, I was fascinated by photography. I would page through my family’s collection of Fact Files, pausing to take in one of my favorite photographs — a piranha in murky water, mouth wide with rows of razor-sharp teeth that looked like I could reach out and…

Where I’m from, it’s not standard to talk openly about sex. Growing up between Michigan and Wisconsin, with some years spent in a progressive college town, I still find myself influenced by my regionality. The Midwest is not the most sex-positive place to live in the United States, but it’s…

If there was monetary compensation for the epiphanies I’ve had, I would be far from rich, but it wouldn’t matter because epiphanies I get to keep; money is temporary. I had one today about my childhood. And about family. And about how much somebody can influence what you think and…