Left was my favorite mug at my grandparents’ house (yes the very same grandparents as in my Substack post To Grandfather’s House We Go)… my grandmother grew up in a Norwegian-American community in Iowa where all Lutheran services were held in Norwegian and my mentally disturbed grandfather was a multi-generational Texan so it made me smile.
Top-right WAS MY FAVORITE MUG until I broke it and I still haven’t replaced it. I have a set of the bottom-right mugs that I use for everything.
May 10, 2024
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but this one is always the first i think of, when i found it in the thrift store i didn’t even think i just grabbed it. i still laugh when i read it in the mornings.
Mar 20, 2025
(1) Variety cowgirl mug — just a nice illustration, nothing crazy. The mug is really weighty and reminds me of diner mugs. Hey jennie peep their merch from 5(?) years ago.
(2) Hasami porcelain mug — this is a nerd purchase, I ask for one every year for secret Santa and it’s been 3 years straight of getting these beauties. Sort of a pain to wash but worth the effort. The texture alone is a reward in itself.
(3) Quiet Mountain Cafe mug — printed on dinex mugs which are usually reserved for hospitals / summer camps, it’s very nostalgic. But the cool thing here is that this mug was releasing and I was so excited to support a local brand and it turns out my wife went into labor that morning!!! I messaged them and asked if there was any way he’d hold a set for me and he did. By the time we got back home the mug had arrived and it was my first cup of coffee as a dad. Will always cherish this mug.
May 10, 2024
I haven’t a single mug of my own to speak of at the moment but this is my favorite mug at my generous hostess’s house :~)
Mar 20, 2025
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“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.”
— Anaïs Nin
This is uncharacteristically raw and personal, even for me, and pretty heavy! I know many of you have seen me posting through it and I feel safe to talk about it openly now that I’ve safely landed at the start of my new life. It’s honestly even a little bit embarrassing but I think it’s important to share.
I’ve never publicly mentioned it on here, but I have a husband; as of Friday, we’d have been together for 11 years, and we’ve been married for 3 years as of 2/22. I realize now that I wanted to explore what I looked like outside of my relationship with him because I had lost that. This is why PI.FYI has been so meaningful to me as a space to express myself and connect with people—to rediscover my voice.
I had been living a lie this entire time, to others but worst of all to myself. He’s been verbally and emotionally abusive, physically but without touching me, to the point that every day I spent with him I was in danger. I’ve been shrinking myself and walking on eggshells to avoid making him insecure and provoking his casual put-downs and fits of rage, while hanging on for dear life to the threads of good I could see.
I’ve wanted so badly to leave, more than anything, but I felt like there was no way out and that this was just something I would need to endure indefinitely—but someone who is so very dear to me helped me see that I have wings to fly, not by acting as my savior but by reminding me of my own power. The emotional safety they built and the gentle care they showed me made me feel like I could open up to them. With their encouragement I was brave enough to tell the truth to my friends, my family, my boss, and they have received me with warm, loving and open arms and rallied to support and protect me. The financial and logistical aspects were the most intimidating to me and it’s going to be tough for a while but I’m going to be better than okay!
Now I’m opening up to you. This isn’t the only abuse I’ve suffered in my life, and my old therapist told me she believed it was my mission to share my strength and light with others to inspire them and show them that change is possible.
I hope that by sharing this, I can reach even just one person who is going through something similar and show that they are not alone, and they are not weak. People with certain backgrounds may be more vulnerable to abuse, but it can happen to anyone. It thrives in darkness, shame, and isolation—and breaking that silence is the first step toward freedom.
Leaving is the scariest thing I have ever done but I have so many angels around me, and I am endlessly grateful. Thank you for being here with me 💌
Mar 16, 2025
My dad teases me about how when I was a little kid, my favorite thing to do when I was on the landline phone with somebody—be it a relative or one of my best friends—was to breathlessly describe the things that were in my bedroom so that they could have a mental picture of everything I loved and chose to surround myself with, and where I sat at that moment in time. Perfectly Imperfect reminds me of that so thanks for always listening and for sharing with me too 💌
Feb 23, 2025
Schedule sent my resignation email for the morning, effective immediately ✅💅
Feb 27, 2025