Rage Against The Minivan

Yesterday I did something I have been putting off for several years . . . I went to the dentist and had some work done on my teeth. Self-care is an elusive thing, and for me, taking care of my teeth is probably the most difficult aspect of caring for my own health. It's not that I don't take daily care of my teeth. In fact, my teeth-brushing and flossing habits have been described as "compulsive" by more than one of my friends. I am meticulous about my daily dental hygiene. But there is a . . .

I struggle with cynicism. I have a condition that my friend Tara Livesay refers to as an “Overdeveloped Sense of Justice.” This isn’t all bad. It’s great for empathy. It leads me to care for others and take action to make things right. But it can also mean that I can easily devolve into feelings of frustration or despair when things are unjust. The tendency to fire up the outrage machine is not always ideal. But this month, I’ve just about had it. And no amount of meditation or “positive . . .

I have two seriously picky eaters in my house. They are on the classic “beige diet” . . . they would prefer their food consist of some variation of flour and cheese. Pizza and pasta with no sauce are their staples. They’ve never met a green herb that didn’t provoke tears. As such, I’ve worked hard at creating a chicken nugget recipe that I can make in bulk and keep on hand to provide them with some healthy protein. I also wanted something that was gluten-free (since my son is gluten-free), and . . .

You may have heard of Angela Tucker and her filmmaker husband Brian from the acclaimed documentary Closure, in which Brian followed Angela’s search for her birthfamily. (If you haven’t seen it, you should definitely check it out!) They have a new series of short episodes about adoption, in which Angela sits down with adoptees of varying races and ages to alk about what it’s like being adopted. These episodes are the perfect length to watch with your kids and spark a conversation. I love that . . .