alison wrapped up in a pale gray wide knit blanket called the tree napper

Weekend Reads #97

I’m calling it now; after years of contouring, compression garments, lash extensions, hair extensions, fake tans, and fillers, after this pandemic, the pendulum will swing. We will have weeks and weeks of our roots growing out, our brows growing out, our nails growing off, our skin getting clear from being bare and cared for.  We…

Weekend Reads #96

Weekend Reads #96

I’m not writing about the coronavirus because people shouldn’t be getting health advice from blogs. All I can say on it is that you don’t need more plastic bottles of water to ward it off or survive it, and please please PLEASE wash your hands. Even if you’re home all day, wash your hands. Your…

Weekend Reads #95

Weekend Reads #95

Of all the doctor appointments I hate the most, it is the gynecologist. It’s not the pap smear, it’s not having someone manhandle my breasts while making small talk, it’s everything that happens in between. I’ve been to a dozen different gynecologists, from fancy practices with glass walls and high-tech to state college health centers…

Weekend Reads #94

Weekend Reads #94

Last April I was invited to speak at the conference Rebelle Con in Richmond, Virginia. Rebelle Con was founded by a pair of women who were sick of the “go hard or go home” messaging that was causing so many of our peers to burn out, get discouraged, or confirm their feeling that they are…

Weekend Reads #93

Weekend Reads #93

Last year was my first year buying health insurance for my family through the Maryland healthcare exchange.  When I quit my day job, I went on COBRA for the first year, finding its ridiculous cost actually cheaper than anything available through the ACA.  Last year, the ACA was cheaper thanks to more people using it,…

Weekend Reads #92

Weekend Reads #92

I wish more influencers would share their real schedules, not these stupid “aspirational” ones where it only includes making smoothies, going to the gym, having a brand meeting and a meditation session. Why don’t they share all the work it takes to prepare for that brand meeting? How they drove an hour to a pretty…