Chris
Mental Health Is A Lot Like Hiking | Part 2
PTSD is an absolute crap hole and it tosses copperheads and bisons and rolled ankles and injuries all over your mental health trail without warning or reason. (For better understanding of this analogy, please read part 1 of this post.) I was reminded of this last week with my first panic attack in three years.…
Read MoreMental Health Is A Lot Like Hiking | Part 1
I’m still learning that mental health is not a place you arrive or achieve or win. Mental health is the journey itself. Not to be too on the nose, but it’s the actual path, and it reminds me so much of hiking. I can do the work to prepare for a hike; exercise, build endurance,…
Read MoreTexas State Park Journal is Here!
The Texas State Park Journal is finally here!! When I set out to create this book over a year ago I had no idea what paths it would take me down. Originally it was just going to be a fill-out journal style, with no real writing. It quickly became an “If You Give A Mouse…
Read MoreWomen in the Woods | Houston Women’s Hiking
Something magical happens when women are gathered in nature. I often wonder if the ancient years of women congregating around a tribal fire or at the waters edge, washing clothes, have somehow changed us on a genetic level to seek out this kind of communion. Studies have shows that cultural and genetic evolution can work…
Read MoreHouston Moms, City Mom Collective, and Fire Prevention Week
When we were early on the road of our house fire we were moving minute by minute, it was all we could muster. I was writing then to ease my mind and my heart. I was just putting the emotion to paper (or to computer screen I guess). Then we made this blog. Hurting humans…
Read MoreHamilton & Our First Date in 2 Years
In May 2018 I saw Hamilton with my friend Brittany. I’d heard some of the music, I knew it was supposed to be amazing. I knew my American History loving, history degreed husband would love it. In 2019 tried to buy tickets for Bill and I for the 2020 show, but financially we couldn’t do…
Read MoreWhen Barbecue Brought Me to Tears : Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
This past weekend was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, more commonly known in Houston simply as Cook-off. I did a little math and the first time I visited our team’s tent was 20 years ago. I was 16 and I had no idea that many of the people in that…
Read MoreInstagram Reel Trends, Cultural Appropriation and the History of US Italian Immigrants
There is a current Instagram Reel trend I’d like to talk about. Its set to a classic Sicilian tarantella, Che La Luna and the creators use a traditional (and stereotypical) Italian hand gesture through the whole reel as they list things that make sense to their situation… “Things that make sense in our large family”…
Read MoreBeep Boop Beep, Just One Door = Progress
I am a doer, a strategizer. When I’m presented with a problem my brain goes in to this weird computing mode. If it was a 1970s SyFy show there would be little lights blinking and beep, boop, beep sounds going off all while a motorized, monotone voice repeatedly said “computing”. Then the plan of action…
Read MoreOur Current State, Plus A Few More Fire Engines
I’ve been writing this in my head for weeks. There’s actually a file called “writing” on my computer that’s well over 2,000 words, were I’ve started it several times. Each time is different. Sometimes the writing is fueled by anger, sometimes despair, sometimes exhaustion. It’s taken several weeks, but this is the first time I’ve…
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