The Banker and I.

It was Monday afternoon. I was playing with the kids, as my job description dictates that I should. The house phone rang. Actually that’s not quite accurate – the copy/fax machine rang – which has no handset to answer. I lost the last remaining house phone weeks ago. So instead of getting up to answer […]

Running Out of Tradition.

For over three decades, my Grandmother has been the cornerstone of Hallmark’s Christmas success. If they have a Ritualistic Secret Society, I’m positive that she is a charter member. She has bought all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren scores of Hallmark Christmas Ornaments every year, all lovingly dated and labeled per child. As each […]

Because We Need to Laugh. Or at Least Snort.

It’s hard being a writer at times like these, because there is so much tragedy, so much seriousness, and so much going through my mind. Yet my thoughts are not coherent enough to have anything helpful to add to any of it. And when I have nothing worth saying, I’ve found it’s better to say […]

When My Friends Told Their Marriage to Take a Hike.

Let’s talk about Chuck and Lydia. You might recognize Lydia, as she has had a long history of influence on my blog, being both the catalyst and cohort of my very first denim adventure. So basically, she’s to blame for my entire jeans obsession. Chuck and Lydia just happened to get married exactly one year […]

Vacation, Greek-Style.

So. I could punish you with a “look at all of my sunset photos and toes in the sand and long walks on the beach” post. But you’ve seen those before, right? Instead, I’m going to introduce you to a little town called Tarpon Springs. It was one of the main reasons we chose Tampa […]

Random Notes, To You.

I often come upstairs after quiet time to find an impressive display of random notes, all addressed to me. Except for those times when they’re addressed to a character from The Jersey Shore, creating no small amount of confusion. Until I turn them around and realize that they were addressed to me all along. Consider […]

The Essential Alabama Beach Shopping List.

Last weekend, we took a quick trip down to the beach to visit Chris’ Aunt and Uncle, who happen to live in one of the most beautiful locations in our state. I relaxed and didn’t take too many photos – just a couple of the kids acting adorably endearing,   doing vacationy things like drinking […]

Music Therapy in Textual Relationships.

Just a couple of days after I wrote my latest installment in the bathroom flooding fallout, we were eating a nice, peaceful breakfast when Ali calmly observed, “Huh. Look at the ceiling – there’s new water up there.” I jerked my head up, praying to God that she was wrong. But she was not. There […]

The Best Worst Comments.

Sometimes people find my blog, thanks to The Googles. These finders can sometimes have strong opinions, bottled-up anger, or an intense need to vent. These people, who are never regular readers, also don’t understand the context of my blog, which is largely based on the verifiable fact that nearly nothing I say should be taken […]

Zulily Strikes Back.

I used Christmas shopping as an excuse to go on a bit of a Zulily bender. As such, when I got my credit card bill, it read something like this: Zulily Amazon Zulily Nabeel’s Amazon Zulily Amazon Nabeel’s Zulily Amazon (Multiplied by 32.) So I decided that I better put that little app aside for […]