I had the honor of writing a piece for the National MS Society’s Momentum Magazine — an article about my mom’s MS and experiences as a carepartner (which is currently being featured on their homepage!). I am excited to share a section of the article here, while...
At the sound of my alarm, I open my eyes to a darkened hotel room. I stand to turn off the harpsichord chimes and stretch my arms above my head. It’s 4:30am and I have a flight to catch back home, a place where the suburbs of Milwaukee are a stark contrast to the New...
Let’s play! You readers are the best. You did such a great job this summer with my Title Quest that I am sharing the first chapter of my book and listening to what you have to say about it! For many reasons, Chapter One starts at the inception of my...
I never intended to start a nonprofit business. I intended to run across America for my mother, who was living with MS, and raise $500,000 for charity while finding sponsors to fund the motorhome, gas, food and lodging for the entire venture. I was twenty-four years...
I was in the last set of a 20 minute workout –10 pull-ups, followed by a 14-pound medicine ball toss to a nine-foot target 20 times, followed by 30 calories on the rower. All that four times over within twenty minutes. Or, that was the goal and I was deep in it. Deep...
Forged is a word that keeps coming up for me this week. As in, sturdy; fortified; tested. That’s how I feel about myself now. Stronger. I Googled the word for its meaning because I love to know the root of words and names. “Copied fraudulently; fake.” I winced....
I am growing. I feel it in my thoughts and actions. I can’t say that I’ve always welcomed it, because its come from difficult challenges, but I can’t deny the results. And in acceptance I wonder if this growth is exactly what is needed for what’s ahead. I know it is....
In the twilight hours of a Saturday morning I raged at God, calling him an unyielding bitch. I told him that I didn’t care that his ways are greater than mine; I didn’t give a fuck about his ways. I wanted what I wanted. I wanted my niece to live. Twenty miles north...
I slept on a velour futon couch for six months. The sofa was located inside a 1994 Ford A-class motorhome. You know the kind—one of those bus type vehicles with a massive picture window at the front that you see driving down the interstate with a pair of retired folk...
Hello. Hi there. How was your summer? You may have noticed (or you may not have) but I disappeared for a short time. Did you miss me? It’s okay, I missed you too! But it was summer, after all, and all three of my adorable, all-consuming children were home from school....
Okay, okay. In my opinion, y’all crushed the Title Quest! Thank you to those who sent me a title (or a few) to consider for my book. Two of you even dropped my book details into an AI chat and got some really good and interesting results, which is something I would...
All of the titles I’ve offered for my book are “Meh. Sorry”. All of them. Like, my brain dump of every good title that I can think so far of for my memoir are just meh? Okay, fine. I don’t have an ego about this. I don’t have to be the title queen (but ALL of...
Sweet relief. I am feeling good. I can clearly see that I am not a troll. It’s obvious. Look at how bright I am! Then I browse through drafts of entries I wrote last month in a plateau—a familiar descent—and think, “Ew, Ashley. What’s with all the stiff...