Author: parlayhouse

December 2019 Last month, my godmother Rachael responded to my One Small Thing email with the insight that she appreciated receiving my notes because they were like paper children: conceived, nurtured, and sent out into the world. I loved this visual analogy because both “birthing” a child and writing an insightful note require me to […]

November 2019 I Know What You Do, But Who Are You? When you walk into a room full of strangers, how do you introduce yourself? For many years, my lead sentence was that I was “the CEO” or “the Mom.” I hid behind the cape of a title, a role, or a function because I […]

October 2019 It’s the season of vampires, ghosts, and coffins planted in front yards. It’s the season to be “scared” in a fun way. But beyond the fantasy and the levity of this holiday, I’m using this month’s One Small Thing to talk about what really scares me and keeps me from being my best […]

September 2019 For many of us, September is a time of transition. We come back from summer vacation or summer “slow downs” in anticipation of hitting the ground running. It might be heading back to work. It might be that the kids are back in school. But it’s definitely a change. Sometimes those changes are […]

August 2019   That’s the question I ask the Parlay House community every summer. Parlay House is an organization I founded where women meet to connect authentically and talk about things that we don’t have space to talk about in other parts of our lives. In our August gathering, “What Book Are You?”, everyone brings […]

July 2019   ALL HELL IS BREAKING LOOSE! If I was to tell you it’s National Pandemonium Day, what would your reaction be? Is it a good thing — like the manic mayhem of a music festival — or a scary time of chaos where everything feels out of control? Of course, there is no […]

June 2019   You may not know it, but today is Global Garbage Man Day. Maybe we should call it “Global Garbage Collection Day” instead? It’s a thankless and necessary job (regardless of gender) and I salute those who pick up the physical trash that endangers our planet. But it’s not only that waste that […]

May 2019   For many people, myself included, the reminder of our own abilities is enough to get us to take a step in a new direction. When I know that someone believes in me, it feels like a vote of confidence. And who doesn’t need that? On this Mother’s Day weekend, I’m having a […]

April 2019 I want you to be the first to know… I’m 57 years old and pregnant! April Fools (a day early), of course. This holiday always reminds me of the fun pranks my daughters would play on me. Teenage pregnancy was a predominant theme. So was failing an exam or being drunk. After my […]