The PTA can be like stepping into a gladiator arena where the weapons are casserole recipes and gossip. And in our PTA, Lisa Calloway ruled with an iron fist wrapped in a cashmere cardigan. She knew everyone’s secrets—or at least claimed to—and she wielded them like daggers. The thing about Lisa is, she wasn’t just …
Justice
If you’ve ever lived in a neighborhood with an HOA, you know there’s always that one person. The self-appointed rule enforcer. The clipboard-carrying busybody who can quote the community guidelines better than the bylaws committee. For us, that person was Roger. Roger took HOA enforcement to new heights—or depths, depending on how you look at …
The internet loves a good hero. And in the animal rescue world, that hero is often whoever has the flashiest story, the most tear-jerking video, or the loudest voice. But for those of us who do the work—cleaning cages, soothing scared animals, and fighting for every scrap of funding—we know there’s a difference between saving …
Being an “influencer” is a balancing act. I don’t have a huge number of followers, but I have a decent number of people who subscribe. You want to be relatable—but not so relatable that people think, Why should I listen to you? For years, I thought I’d nailed it. My Instagram was a curated masterpiece, …
There’s a particular kind of magic to a charity gala. The clinking of champagne glasses, the soft hum of polite conversation, the glitter of sequins under chandeliers—it’s all designed to feel effortless. But as someone who’s been behind the scenes, I can tell you it’s anything but. Events like these are carefully orchestrated chaos, and …
Hospitals are full of stories. Some are tragic, others hopeful, and a few make their way into the breakroom, traded like candy from a forgotten drawer. I’ve always steered clear of those stories. Gossip is like wildfire—it starts with a spark and ends with everything in ashes. That’s why it stung so much when I …
Running a charity race wasn’t something I had on my bingo card this year. I’m a schoolteacher, a mom of two, and a perpetual member of the “How is there never enough time?” club. But when my daughter’s after-school sports program announced they needed funds to keep going, I laced up my sneakers and signed …
Weddings are a balancing act—beauty, chaos, and emotions wrapped in one frantic day. As a planner, my job is to keep the balance, no matter what. But every now and then, someone comes along determined to tip the scales. Today, that someone was Tiffany. I’d been warned. “She’s my cousin,” Kate, the bride, had confessed …
They say the café draws people from all walks of life. You get to see a slice of everyone here: college students cramming for finals, older couples sharing quiet breakfasts, and, of course, regulars like Leo. Everyone loves Leo. With his easy smile and loyal guide dog, Bailey, he lights up the café, even though …
Most bakers in the area know about Clair. Claire Watkins. She had a reputation for late-night demands, last-minute wild changes, and, without fail, a conveniently invented “problem” with the final product, just in time to haggle the price down. In fact, she’d gotten free desserts from every bakery in town. But, when she called my …