Melissa, Oh!

  • Dive bar + a little bit of humor = a fun Sunday afternoon

    Meghan kicked ass at this past weekend’s Warrior Dash, and I was able to see her fly across that finish line as if dealing with walls, fire and mud were no big deal. A celebratory drink was in order so where better than to go than a nearby dive bar? Little did we know we’d…

  • When lack of communication is actually good …

    The good thing about beginning marathon training on the West Coast is the flat ground and dry heat. The bad thing about it is re-entering the SouthEast, and while everyone else is grateful that the humidity is finally starting to break, I walk outside and can barely breathe. Acclimating = fun times. The lucky thing…

  • Proving Mia wrong

    Her 95th birthday party was supposed to be tomorrow. We had been planning it for months. My grandmother’s major desire was that we all be there. That’s why the party was to be 10 days after her actual birthday – because that was the first time everyone could be there. And it totally sucks that she’s…

  • I didn’t realize I was getting another tattoo …

    So, you may or may not be bored to pieces by now with my accounts of laser hair removal. I had purchased a Living Social deal for laser hair removal in Phoenix at Senza Med Spa, but I found a place here that is offering me prices that are even better than the deal was…

  • The best coffee mugs ever …

    So, I kind of want to go on and on for a while about my coffee addiction. But that’s not the point of this post, so I won’t. Just know that I have one. And part of having one means that I am very particular about the type of coffee mug I like to drink…

  • Disneyworld. Disneyworld. Disneyworld!

    I’m going to DISNEYWORLD! Ok, that in and of itself is not all that exciting; I’ve been to Disneyworld a million times. So, let’s try again: I’M TAKING MY NIECE TO DISNEYWORLD! Mia is turning 5 in a couple of weeks, and I’ve always always wanted to take her and my other nieces and nephews.…

  • Have a bucket list. Check it off. Life is short.

    I was hanging out with Mom and Dad last week in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Dad had a rather awkward trip down the resort’s water slide. I felt badly that I’d convinced him to give it a try and he’d clearly not had a good time, but at the bottom, he turned to me and said,…

  • Getting my strength back

    So, I’ve been working out like the old days again. And I have to say, it feels fantastic. The past couple of weeks I’ve been hitting the gym every day, going hard core on the stairclimber and even running on the treadmill. And yesterday I ran 3 miles in the 103 degree heat! I had…

  • Sometimes, adventure is loss

    When I was 15, I went on my first adventure. It wasn’t by choice. I grew up in Fort Mill, SC, a small town where everyone knew each other. My friends were mostly friends I’d had since childhood, and there was a certain security about knowing that my closest allies were always just a phone…

  • It’s not about me. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.

    It’s not about me. It’s not about me. It’s not about me. I keep telling myself that, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Things are changing too fast. In the past four weeks My grandmother died. My parents who live with my grandmother now have to decide what to do. And what to do…