Absence Makes the Hatred Grow Stronger
On the particular exhaustion of being back in your mother's hometown, and why some daughters don't miss the phone call.
The Ultimate Compliment
A neighbor's offhand compliment becomes proof I escaped my mother's script entirely. On being told you're nothing like the woman who raised you.
The Body of Evidence
Neighbors in Guatemala remember my mother as "El cuerpo." A force of nature. A woman they speak about in awe. I inherited her face. I'm trying to figure out if I also inherited the thing that broke her.
No Trespassing: A Field Guide to Boundaries
A field guide to setting boundaries with toxic family, from someone who's been overruled, gaslit, and managed by committee. Five rules, zero apologies.
Premonition – The Movie I Forgot to Remember
Watching movies with my mother is annoying. Watching a movie with her where there is a husband and kids in the plot is even more so. When she was still here, I made the mistake of watching the movie Premonition with her. I, unfortunately, did not remember enough of the plot from the time I had seen before to realize it was a landmine of issues. That is how I found myself in that situation. Oh, also, spoilers ahead if you haven’t watched the movie, so whatever.
