“When did you become so political?” my partner Joey asked me. I set down the irreverent flipbook while laughing at his response to the image that I posted with much glee on my Instagram page. “Mommy, when I grow up, I want to smash the white racist, homophobic, patriarchal bullshit paradigm too.” “I have always … Continue reading The Face of Courage
Many of us try to be perfect. But we’re holding the mirror the wrong way. In its original Greek form, the word “perfect” meant the “image of a Heavenly Father” (of course, I would add and Heavenly Mother). In other words, we achieve perfection when we bring our best to the table. When we listen … Continue reading Maia Moon Musings
In early March, mama bear instincts urged me to convince my son to drive 300 miles to my home in the remote foothills of the Eastern Sierra Mountains. The rumble of fear was still quiet, but bears know when to move, even from their winter slumber. It was the same instinct, impulse, and all things … Continue reading The Isolation that Brought Us Together
My literary agent had been a model in the early 1970s. She was dark haired, tall and willowy like an English Cher. The metaphor strengthens with Julie Castiglia’s sharp English accent, contrast of black hair, green eyes, and paper-thin skin and her infamous curt communication. Julie used words like scissors and would assign her brutal … Continue reading A Tribute to my Literary Champion: Julie Castiglia
Sometimes all you need is a bulldog in your corner. My sixth grade teacher, Miss Kneece, championed her students with a tenacious, sometimes, well actually oftentimes, blunt manner. At a time when all I wanted to do was hide my vulnerbility and pre-teen angst, Miss K would look right through my guise and remind me … Continue reading Mentors, Teachers, Sheroes
I wore out the cassette tape of Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrisette while writing The Teen Spell Book: Magick for Young Witches. Unapologetic lyrics about the pain of perfection or daily indignations women endure, while striving to love ourselves just as we are, could bring me to my knees with wracking sobs or raging … Continue reading Unapologetic At Last
It's not recommended to travel during a Mercury Retrograde, but I like it. It's kind of like being the ball in the pinball machine. You just don't get to move the levers - that's up to the mischievious, mercurial God of Communication. Mercury appears to retreat its steps from our two-dimensional perspective four times a … Continue reading Touring with the Book of Spells
Threadbare is to be without comfort or coziness, so they say… The old woman walked down the street with the remnants of a long sweater that had once been beautiful. Each time she connected with a new friend or for each birth that she attended as midwife, she gave a thread from her multicolored woven … Continue reading Threadbare
I’m a sucker for gold stars. There was no better feeling as a child than watching a beloved teacher peel off a gold star and stick it next to my name with a special smile just for me. Oh, how I loved watching those gold stars line up. AirBnB guests rate hosts with gold stars … Continue reading How Did I become a Superhost?
“There’s been an avalanche.” Joey said as soon as I picked up the phone, stopping me mid-rant about my to-do list. “I wanted you to know. I’m heading to the mountain and might not have cell service.” “What? Where?” I wedged the phone between my neck and shoulders as my hands were covered in clay. … Continue reading The Wonder of Another Sunrise