Better By a Mile

  A song can be a powerful bookmark in our lives.  I think this is especially true when we hear a song that resonates with what we're experiencing at that particular moment.  I had this idea the other day to write about some of the songs that are bookmarks for me; the ones that helped me get through tough times by realizing the stuff happening to me had happened to someone else first.  According to Google, No Doubt released Tragic Kingdom in October 1995.  I didn't even know they existed until the summer of 1996, when I first heard Gwen Stefani singing her epic breakup song:  Don't Speak . I was at home in my bedroom, kneeling beside my bed, tinkering around with an old Zippo lighter.  I'm not sure where I got it, but I thought it was the absolute coolest fidget toy before they were a thing.  I had started sneaking the occasional cigarette at that time in my life, and I felt so cool lighting them with it.  That afternoon, I was disassembling ...

 In the days leading up to my 45th birthday, I fell into a funk.  For some reason, my mind kept reminding me of some of my worst birthday memories.  I know I've had many happy, fun birthdays surrounded by people who care deeply about me.  But I could only think about the darker ones.  It has been a minute (a little more than 1.8 million minutes, to be more exact) since I've written, so I thought it might be a good time to get back to it.  Maybe if I try hard and be intentional, I can remember some of the good times too. 6 I don't remember this one, but it's one of the few birthdays that I'm fortunate enough to have some pictures to look back on.  I'm wearing a He-Man birthday hat, unwrapping a variety of gifts that include a wrestling figure of Hillbilly Jim, my favorite Matchbox cars, and what appears to be a toy tommy gun.  I'm pretty sure one of those Matchbox cars is responsible for a scar on my poor sister's face.  According to my Mom, m...