Why are you so miserable? She sits perched on the edge of the chair, flipping through nail color samples and shaking her head. Next to her, a Louis Vuitton bag has been carelessly flung on the countertop, taking up the space next to her. Every so often, she presses a…

Foreign cars, large homes, and too much time are just the start In the crowded country club pub, the men gather as they always do, with drinks in hand after their daily rounds of golf. Sometimes they drink beer, sometimes it’s bourbon, but there’s always a drink that accompanies the…

It wasn’t lavish, but it was special “It’s your day! You can have whatever you want!” The new high school graduate’s dad beamed at her. It was about an hour after the graduation ceremony had ended, and they were seated at the ten person table in the middle of Panera. …

Day camp, feral children, and the impact of over-scheduling The driving range stretches out to my right and directly ahead, the Potomac River snakes around small, lush islands. The pub doesn’t open for another ten minutes, but the verandah is already busy. I’ve been sitting here for nearly two hours…

If we’re being honest, no you can’t It’s graduation season which means it’s time for Bad Advice We Give Young People! …

It’s not easy making friends as a middle-aged, empty-nest woman It’s high school graduation season which means it’s time for moms to break up with other moms. …

A random road trip stop shows me the best of America It’s quiet on the Elkhart Hotel rooftop — just James, me and the bartender, Katrina. Below us, Elkhart, Indiana spreads out in a kaleidoscope of greenery and restored 20th century buildings. “Where are you from?” Katrina asks as she…

I thought she was a step-monster until I became a mom myself When I was six, my dad asked me what I wanted for my birthday. “A house of our own,” I told him. Even though I loved living with my grandfather and my single-father dad needed the help, I…

She had a physical defect, but she is perfect for us “We have a puppy, but she has an issue,” the breeder said over the phone. …