You know the expression, “There are no dress rehearsals in life”? Yeah, that appears to be true. We’re all improvising on this proverbial stage of life, trying hard to say “yes, and!!” (with extra exclamation points) when we really mean “NO, BUT” (in desparate caps). It’s disconcerting to be living life LIVE (like SNL but...

Now's your chance to give the gift of death ... gifts your loved ones will never forget (or remember, if they die sooner than later). Oh, yes you did come to the right place for holiday cheer. Pour some (heavily) spiked nog, sip, and get shopping, Little Elf! You have the opportunity to wake your...

My mom had her first heart attack when she was 42 (let’s not even talk about how she DROVE 45 MINUTES BY HERSELF TO THE HOSPITAL—denial is the number one symptom of a heart attack, kids), and the year I turned that age was somewhat unsettling. I kicked the year off with great intentions to...

When was the last time you had an epiphany—a moment of sudden and profound understanding, accompanied by a high-wattage lightbulb “ah-ha” moment (or at a least a flickering of the lamp in the corner)? Those of us interested in self-development tend to clamor for epiphanies. We’re willing to pay for them handsomely in time and...

Ready for a “Here’s Yet Another Way You’ve Been Taking Your Life for Granted” hypothetical situation to ponder? Sure you are, Sport! Here goes: You just found out you need to leave your town, exactly one month from today. Let’s pretend this imaginary exodus has more to do with something invigorating (like being transferred to...

When I’m in the old age asylum (i.e., a senior living home/ memory care facility), I assume I’ll want to remember the lovely life I led. Dementia will surely distort my memories (OMG my memories are already dodgy at 48), so I’ll want something I can hold in my sun-spotted hands—a tangible repository of my...

I’m choosing to assume this quote by Rudy Francisco gives you the same flutter in your stomach that it does for me: “The human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour and each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words ‘you are still alive.’ You are still alive. Act like...

There’s an implication that comes up when I lovingly brainwash encourage people to LIVE before they die, and it’s not super subtle. This “mortality as a motivator” message is usually interpreted as a cracking whip to AGGRESSIVELY LIVE LIFE (YES IN ALL CAPS)—to make the most of our limited time in a balls-to-the-wall, breathless, YOLO-t-shirt-wearing...

I posed this question on Instagram a few months ago, and as of today I’ve received a hilariously overwhelming 18,773 comments: Do share!! 🎥🍿🎬 What’s your favorite movie that features death as a theme? (Like a heartfelt theme, not like a murdery-organs-splayed-across-the-bathroom-floor kind of theme?) I’m writing an article on this topic and need your...

Are you a dead or alive role model for your kids? Before we go any further… I’m not a parenting expert! I’ve never had a kid without paws. I only have 50% of my parents left (hi Dad!). I have 0% of my grandparents left. I’ve never reared a person (that came out wrong and...

I recently asked the People of Instagram how they would spend an extra hour a day, if for some inexplicable reason a 25th hour was bestowed upon them. In the post I gave a few examples—like reading, walking, snuggling, sleeping, hanging out with kids (ideally one's own?), eating waffles, etc. Wait! Before I share my...

Are you loyal... to a fault? The Cambridge Dictionary people define loyal as "firm and not changing in your friendship with or support for a person or an organization, or in your belief in your principles"... derived from the Latin term legalis which translates to "quite possibly screwing yourself." (*Insert my look of consternation here*) Are you...