Melissa, Oh!

Category: Friends & Family

  • The time I saved a life (well, sorta)

    A memory It is summer 2008, and I am visiting Chris in Athens for the first time since he moved there the week before. I am helping him unpack and get settled into his new place. The wonderful thing about a friend giving me free reign to his apartment (including deciding where the dishes will…

  • Getting a roommate at age 30

    Jeff and I used to live in a much smaller house. It was a 3-bedroom rental, and it was built in the 1960s so the rooms were small. Between our two offices and our bedroom, it was a full house. We didn’t let that stop us from having parties – every weekend the house was…

  • ‘Time may change me / but I can’t trace time’

    So for the past 21 days, National Novel Writing Month has been consuming my brain. I am 34,000 words into my 50,000 word goal. As I write this my mind is really on a scene between Ryan and Erykah, two of my characters, and I’m trying to mediate their torn hearts. I have surprisingly been able to…

  • I heart my nieces

    Wanted to take a minute to show off my beautiful nieces and some of my design work at the same time … I designed these birth announcements for my sister-in-law and my brother for their baby girl, born in early September. Isn’t she beautiful? If you want more, I wrote about them here not too…

  • Leaving Athens was not easy

    After spending a week with one of my best friends and getting to decorate, write and organize (3 of my favorite things!), and having great moments with him and our other friends that will last a lifetime … of course leaving was not easy. Tears and hugs abound as I won’t see Chris for a…

  • I cooked for him so he could cheat on me

    A memory It is 1995, and it’s picture day. The senior-year me has just been officially captured by camera, and I walk down the steps of the school auditorium, happy to be out of class and wondering how my photo looks. Sitting in one of the auditorium seats is Brian. I have been friends with…

  • Oh, did you actually want me to listen to what you were saying?

    Character traits I love: – Genuine interest and care for my well being. This includes bringing me into a conversation, asking me how my client meeting went or if my rough day got any better. – Hugs and other forms of affection (yes, I will accept the back rub you offer me.) – Little things you…

  • One of the nicest brides I ever met

    A memory It is 2004, my first trip to Vegas and I will finally get to meet Jeff’s sole cousin, Ryan (I have a couple dozen cousins, so this one-cousinthing is a surprise to me.) Ryan and Robin are getting married one week before Christmas, and Jeff and I are full of excitement: A wedding, reuniting with…

  • When jealousy gets in the way

    Jealousy is like the scheming cousin you say you’re not going to listen to because he always gets you in trouble, but then he comes up with a new scheme (let’s put the treadmill as fast as it will go and then see if you can run on it) and it sounds like a good idea…

  • Didn’t they blow our minds this time … oh yeah

    This was no ordinary concert. I’ve been to several concerts in my lifetime, some for artists I absolutely adore and other featuring artists I didn’t care much about one way or another (typically was invited to these by a friend and went alon more for the company than the show). But I’ve never been to…