ArcaMax

We are buffet people -- at least my dad's side of the family. Having grown up with little money and seemingly never quite enough to eat, my dad considers buffets the only kind of dining experience that makes any real sense.

"Why spend $9 on one plate of food when you could go to a buffet and spend $7.99 on six plates of food?" my dad would ...Read more

Humble brag: I am very adept at burning bridges. I may have a little arsonist in me. Emotional arsonist, that is, not the Smokey Bear kind of arsonist.

That said, when I was about 13 years old and trying desperately to look cool, my mom sneaked into my bedroom and did a random search of my backpack. There she found a Caboodle -- because it ...Read more

I bought myself beaded bracelets -- three, to be exact. Each has its own saying, up to 12 characters, of my choosing.

I've been doing a lot of self-work lately. I'm guessing it comes with this chapter of life -- when you see how you show up as a parent, as a partner, as a friend and for yourself and you want to do better. But every once ...Read more

Last week, I was visiting my parents in the home I grew up in. As always, they sent me home with relics of my youth that they found too precious to part with but no longer wanted cluttering their closets. Often, these items are tiny time capsules that can bring a tear to my eye. Whether it is something large, such as my wedding gown, or it is ...Read more

A deer knocked down a part of our fence. Two days later, a storm hit, and falling branches took out another section. It was starting to feel like the HGTV version of "Final Destination." When it's your time, it's your time. Not even Devon Sawa can escape the Reaper. He is Casper, after all.

I texted my friends to say I was going to rebuild ...Read more

The only lingerie I own is from leftover costumes I've kept from my high school theater performances. I've never worn it off-stage, but it has hung in my closet for 20 years, somehow making the to-pack box as I've moved to and from countries and from one coast to the next.

I guess I figured I'd grow into it. Time would surely present the ...Read more

Let us talk, for a moment, about goat yoga.

For me, it's a big naa-aa-aa-aah.

Weeks ago, my family visited a petting zoo. We walked among the goats as they stared at us with their evil eyes and rammed their bodies into us, forcing our kibble-cupping hands to lower, and we all laughed through gritted teeth, pretending it was fun. A ...Read more

"His name is Howell!"

"OK, fine. Then I have to remove Howell," I said.

My daughter has a love of naming things -- even things that are latched on to her body and sucking her blood. I took out my tweezers and considered that perhaps she didn't understand that Howell, her newly named best animal friend, was a fat tick feeding off her and ...Read more

I'd like to make a suggestion, if I may: Not all buckets are meant to be shared.

Bucket of popcorn, share away. Bucket of baseballs, game on. Bucket of ice, take the challenge! Bucket of blood, which happens to be the first thing that pops up when I Google "bucket of," sure, I guess. But maybe wear some protective gloves? Unless you're a ...Read more