Why should people provide their opinions and get nothing in return? — Earlier this week, I went through my email and was gobsmacked by how many companies wanted to hear from me. “Tell us your thoughts!” the subject line implores. “We want to hear from you!” the prominent retailer trumpets, “your opinion will help us serve you better.” It seems like every…

The overwhelming majority of negative comments on my viral article show men think they're entitled to ogle women. — A few months ago, I shared an essay called, "Oh Great. It's Staring Season Again." This article detailed how I am leered at on my daily walk. This article gave me a taste of what it's like to go viral — a simultaneously gratifying and terrifying experience. My essay concludes…

My five-year relationship with a caring, competent physician cannot continue because of my insurance — The phone call felt bittersweet. We both knew it was coming, and promised it wasn’t a “goodbye forever,” hopefully just a “see you later.” How does one end the relationship with a woman who has seen you through a marriage, a cancer diagnosis, career changes, and multiple illnesses? …

“Sending love and light” is just as worthless as “Thoughts and prayers” — The voice and cadence were familiar, but I couldn’t believe the words coming through my headphones. “So I asked my Inner Voice if I will die from this virus,” Jess Lively said, “and the answer I heard was — ‘No.’ …

Please show us how much better you are by refusing to profit off an outdated, anti-feminist anthem — Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her six earliest albums has been a delight for many of her fans. We’ve been given the gifts of shiny new merch, a bevy of unreleased (so-called Vault) tracks, and Swift’s epic performance of the ten-minute version of “All Too Well” on SNL. The re-recordings are…

Posting about my finances on social media came with a cost after divorce — “Paid off a student loan,” I typed out. “Why were there no balloons?” I hoped the innocuous Facebook post would help enhance the blasé feeling I had when the confirmation came in the mail. While I still had one student loan remaining with a five-figure balance due, I had nonetheless…

All you fans of the surveillance state make some NOISE! — Am I in the minority given that I’ve never once in more than 30 years desired to see my own face plastered across a gigantic video board? We don’t like being perpetually on-camera for virtual meetings, so why do we seek out the camera at other events, such as concerts…

Walking alone in warm weather brings unwelcome attention. — Today I took a solo walk down to the park near where I live. A sidewalk was installed last year, which is a huge improvement over the awkward, terrifying, hug-the-side-of-the-road tactic I undertook for the first year or so that I lived here. It was in the 70s and I…

You don’t have to live in fear of the so-called woke mob if you can sincerely display remorse — Lately, when a celebrity is trending, it’s because they’ve either died or said something outrageous and controversial. In the case of the latter, many notable people have tried to protect their misogynistic, conservative viewpoints, including the right to express them, from what they refer to as cancel culture.