I’m celebrating an amazing first month on Medium with a follow offer to help you get started — My first month on Medium has been incredible, culminating this weekend in not one but two boosted articles. I plan to write more about my experience after the holiday weekend. For right now, I have an offer: I want to help other Medium writers hit 100 followers. Getting over that…

Five things every parent should do when their kid comes out — Before I begin, I have a quick quiz for you, dear reader: Are you a Don’t-Say-Gay Floridian? Do you support blocking access to gender-affirming care for kids? Are you one of the seven Kappa Kappa Gamma members suing their transgendered sister? If you’re answered “yes” to any of these — or if you identify as any flavor of right-wing nutjob nonsense —…

As one does — Happy World Goth Day to all who celebrate!! I awakened this World Goth Day — Monday morning, May 22 — feeling very, very tired. That’s because last night, I took my kids to see classic goth band The Sisters of Mercy at the Moore Theater. As one does on a…

How I conquered my layoff anxiety by embracing the best parts of a worst-case scenario — The Impact of Years of Work Instability I work for a big tech company. One might even call them the world’s largest online retailer. I worked here for six years, left in 2015, and “boomeranged” back in March 2021, after a multi-year era of job instability (and angst) that followed a layoff in September 2018. Surviving five+…

Feminists need to stop comparing Martha Stewart to other women her age and start celebrating. — By now, you’ve likely seen the now-controversial Martha Stewart Sports Illustrated cover shot. At 81, she’s photographed with enviable cleavage, tousled fresh-from-a-romp hair, and a sweet, seductive smile. In a swimsuit, of course. She looks, in a word, amazing. Know what’s not amazing? The blow-back she’s received from women, under…

Stay connected — by any channel necessary — Connecting with Teens: a tricky balancing act Parenting a teen requires a strange, steely resolve, a push/pull dynamic unlike any I’ve known. It forces you to find new ways to connect to this human you love with your whole heart as they’re outwardly trying to pull away — and ignore and/or exasperate you in the process. You…

Can an experienced Medium-er help me understand this data? — Y’all, I’m new to Medium (howdy!) and even newer to the Partner Program (earned my first 39 cents today, woo hoo!). I’ve been enjoying learning the platform and how it calculates traffic and engagement. Much of it makes sense. But some of it… doesn’t. I’m hoping someone smarter than I…

Why GenX women are happy to chat perimenopause — but still avoid the “M” word — Peri: Not Our Mother’s Menopause As I approach menopause, I’ve never been more grateful to be GenX. I see GenX women showing up to destigmatize menopause. I see an emerging willingness in my GenX peers to openly discuss their symptoms and experiences that I find heartening — and educational. I only know about Estradiol because…

Moms deserve one day that doesn’t center on the needs of others. — Wishing all the moms of Medium a wonderful Mother’s Day! It’s important to lead with this. I see you, mamas, and I salute you! Motherhood: it’s simultaneously the most wonderful and most thankless job in the world. Today is the one day to celebrate us. But often, Mother’s Day efforts fall short. Children don’t tend to be good at spoiling…