You know you’re doing things right if they cringe or laugh at you. — I’m going to Vegas this summer, and I can’t wait to be the older woman that people ridicule as they’re walking down the strip. No doubt there’ll be twenty-somethings that laugh at my short skirt and stiletto heels. I’m sure there’ll also be a thirty-year-old who looks at me and…

Just so you know, I’m really hoping you don’t. — Know any good exorcists? If so, I’d like your recommendations ASAP. You see, there’s a demon inside me, and I’d sell everything I own to have someone send him back to Hell. I wish it were like the exorcisms in movies. You know, where the priest discovers the demon’s name…

You’re over the moon she agreed to a date. Here’s how to make her agree to a second one. — Congratulations. You finally did it. You asked her out, and she agreed. And now that she’s said yes, you feel both happy and terrified. After all, she’s given you the opportunity to make a connection, but it’s up to you to take advantage of it. You begin to panic. “What…

A tale of a teacher, learner, and wild child — I was voted “Most Likely to Be Famous” in my senior year of high school. Perhaps it was my penchant for the theater. Maybe it was the kohl eyeliner that rimmed my eyes and the scarlet lipstick that adorned my adolescent lips. Maybe it was just that, even then, teens…

When to relax, when to worry, and when to take action — One of my favorite poems is “Marrysong.” It’s about a husband who tries to understand his wife, yet never manages to crack the code of who she really is. He states: “Year after year that territory, without seasons, shifted under his eye. An hour he could be lost in the…

Yeah, it’s gonna suck, but do it anyway. — You’re cheating, and you’re ashamed. You desperately want to tell the truth, but your lips remain sealed. After all, you don’t want to hurt your partner. However, refusing to be honest about cheating could be just as bad or worse than the infidelity you committed. Note: Refusing to air the…

A two-part solution to stop being a slave to your emotions and start being intentional and mindful of them — I’ve done cruel things that would make Saint Peter shoo me away from the pearly gates. I’ve also had some shameful thoughts, ones that go against my own moral compass. Sadly, these thoughts often cause me to lose emotional control and do ugly, vicious things to others. Ones that made…

The hell, the hiding, and one way to cope. — There are so many telltale signs I don’t allow them to see. The tight fetal position I curl myself into when I slide under the sheets. The heating pad I place next to my heart to stop the panic attacks. …

Those A’s you think will help your child succeed in the real world? You might want to think again. — It’s that time of the year. Report card time. Maybe you look at your child’s grades and see straight “A’s.” You’re filled with pride. You believe your child has excelled and learned skills to rocket them to success after graduation. Then again, maybe you look at your child’s grades and…