Browsing Category

Mind & Body

  • In Defense of Y’all

    I’m not a native of the South. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, went to graduate school throughout the Midwest, and wound up in Texas as the result of my job. Mike and…

  • Reasons to Celebrate Middle Age

    If childhood is the springtime of our lives, and the lazy days of summer are our teenage and young adult years, then surely middle age is our autumn. Abundant and meditative, autumn has always…

  • I Don’t Watch Your Grammar

    For someone with a Ph.D. in English, I have surprisingly few pet peeves when it comes to grammatical errors. Of course, that’s true of most people with advanced degrees in English. At a certain…

  • Dealing with Self-Sabotage

    Over the summer, my life as a professor looks very different from the way it looks during the academic year.  Sometimes summer looks like a break–I don’t get up and go to work every…

  • This Is What High-Functioning Anxiety Looks Like

    Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. If you’re struggling with anxiety, seek the help of a qualified medical professional.    Depression and anxiety run in my family. My mom struggled with them for…

  • Introverts Bill of Rights

    The Introvert’s Bill of Rights

    Are you an introvert? If you need a healthy dose of quiet time every day and spend your weekends recharging at home in order to gear up for the work week, if you avoid…

  • New Directions

    Getting Unstuck

    Several years ago, I decided to take up yoga. I had two preschool children, a full-time job, I was working on my doctoral dissertation–I needed something in my life that wasn’t a source of…