"I'm going to keep these dinosaurs. Just because they're the ones from Nan, so they're special to me." My 11-year-old son, Newt, is going through a box of toys, figuring out which ones to give away. When he says this. I actually feel my entire body relax. My mother died five years ago on July [...]

Last night, right before I turned off my computer, I saw a Facebook post and remembered -- oh yeah, tomorrow is 9/11. And this was the first thought that entered my head: Damn it. I am so sick of 9/11. The last thing I want to do is post something on my page about it. [...]

So Mother's Day is over, and all I can say is, thank the gods. I know most moms look forward to Mother's Day. Probably because they're normal and well-adjusted people who are totally chill about spending a nice Sunday with family, getting an over-priced piece of jewelry designed by Jane Seymour, and maybe going out [...]

The other night, while I was up with insomnia, I started making a "You Suck" list. It's just one of many lists that go through my head when my other non-sleeping choices are to: Make a list from the other 100 lists regarding everything from "Brilliant blog posts that come to me...at 2 a.m." to [...]

One of my favorite lines of all time is from Young Frankenstein (coincidentally just viewed by the kids and me the other night -- they were, of course, totally impressed). Dr. Frankenstein and Igor have just pushed a coffin out of a grave, and Igor says, "Could be worse. Could be raining." Cue thunder clap [...]

I've been sad a lot this week. Some of it has to do with my son, Newt, turning nine years old. All I can think is that nine is half of eighteen, so mathematically speaking, we're half done (although in reality, I'm sure he'll be sick of me long before that). And then there's the [...]

Mother's Day is a very loaded holiday for me. Anyone who's lost their mother but has kids of their own knows how strange it is. There are the good wishes being thrown around, the cards and gifts being made at school, and the endless blog posts and tweets asking, "What do you want for Mother's [...]

I had to open the front door all by myself today.For the first time in almost ten years, the doorbell rang, and I found myself all alone, face-to-face with a strange man. No intimidating presence at my side. No low bark encouraging the guy to take a half-step back. No furry head pressed against my [...]

So today's my birthday. I'm 42. And I've been sick as a dog for four days.I'm trying to teeter toward falling off the happy side of this cliff. As I always tell my kids when they point out an alarmingly old person, "It's better than the alternative." So today I just keep telling myself, as [...]