New Essay from Molly

I found this essay that I wrote a year ago and never shared. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you are well. Love, Molly   How a Cambodian Travel Guide Helps Me Endure This President Things I did prior to our three-week, four-country tour of South East Asia: got the recommended vaccines and…

Sometimes

I was walking the dogs when the siren started to wail, the three of us directly under a speaker, the sheer intensity of the volume nearly caused me to drop the leashes and cover my ears. But we were close to home, unlike the last time I remember the emergency warning sirens going off maybe…

What are you reading?

Several years ago when I was changing careers, leaving my role in the restaurant business that I knew so well, I stumbled upon an article that asked a question that I still think about. At the time I was in a reflective state of mind, trying to figure out where to direct my energies. The…

In defense of taking three hours out of my day to paddle board…

It’s the time of year when I escape whenever I can to get on my stand up paddle board. Now, I’m not an official ambassador or anything for the sport (yet…ahem, hello potential sponsors, allow me to introduce myself…), but I love to be standing on my paddle board. Here’s what I tell myself to justify…

Passing as Normal

I can pass as normal. In fact, I’ve spent a great deal of energy in doing just that. Perform. Achieve. Smile. This comes easily to me; I’ve had lots of practice. Different, Inadequate, Plain. They hide behind the curtains. Part of what I’ve done for the last four decades to present as normal is tied…

I Don’t Believe it Was Accidental…

I don’t believe it was accidental that when I wrote an email to Cambodia, the woman who answered it described herself as a fellow Kansan. I learned of the Wat Opat Children’s Community when I read the book In a Rocket Made of Ice by Gail Gutradt. I was drawn to this place on the…

Spark what?

Marie Kondo’s Netflix show on the transformational effect of tidying up has blown up. I’ve heard NPR shows about the effects of the decluttering craze (a thrift store bonanza), seen countless posts online about goals for emptying out closets and garages, and heard pushback about some of her advice (especially about books). Full disclosure: I…

I’ve Got a Bone to Pick with Malcolm Gladwell.

I’ve read several of Malcom Gladwell’s books (Outliers is my favorite) and respect his thinking and writing ability. However, a former writing student took his online Masterclass recently and wrote me in shock over what he’s teaching about writing about our own lives. Here’s what she wrote to me after watching his teaching – I’ve…

Pics from my trip to SE Asia

I was fortunate to take a three-week holiday over Christmas with my family to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. My time there made an enormous impression on me. I’m writing about it (coming soon!) and hatching new plans but for now I thought I’d share some of my favorite pics… The Grand Palace in Bangkok…

Sadness, writing and readability…

A writing student sent a question to my inbox that I thought you may be interested in: Hello Molly, So exciting to see you “ in the arena”. Fighting the good fight!.  I have something I need a little help/ push with. I’ve noticed how deeply sad all my stories are at their core. I…