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About

About Me

I’m a proud Memphian with strong South Florida roots. I live in a WWI-era Midtown home with my husband Taylor, our son (born in June 2021), and our orange tabby, Rufus. I’m a progressive Christian. I work as a corporate paralegal and also write sometimes (my past published work has been with Memphis Type History). Writing and reading have been integral to my life since I was a kid. I’m close to my family, an aunt to many nieces and a nephew. I’m an extroverted introvert. I can relate almost any situation to a Friends episode or SNL sketch. I played the flute for most of my life (props to Lizzo for making flutists cool) but am currently on hiatus. I love psychology, personality stuff, yoga, fashion, history, gardening, makeup, and skincare. I totally believe The Terminator could happen (and that, in our current world on fire, it might be the least of our problems).

Taylor and I are Basketball People and devoted season ticket holders to our Tigers (football and basketball) and Grizzlies. We remain hopeful to see a Tiger basketball NCAA championship in our lifetime.

About This Blog

I started blogging publicly in the spring of 2010. After I got divorced a few months later, I rebranded as Don’t Stop Believing as a gesture of hope for my future. Between then and now, I traveled a lot, went from running 30 seconds at a time to running four half-marathons, got a tattoo, moved out of the suburbs and into the city, was completely single for six years, went through a long dark night of the soul, did a political 180, deconstructed and began reconstructing my faith, earned my paralegal certificate, left my safe job of 16 years for a new one in a new industry, found my life partner unexpectedly, and got a lot of therapy. I’m a different person than I was when I started this blog, but I’m happier, stronger, healthier, and I like myself a lot better. My writing here reflects that journey, still in process. I’ve decided to let old posts that now make me cringe stand as a testament that change and growth are possible.

In recent years, the bulk of my posting has been my monthly What I’m Into post and various lighter topics. But I still get serious once in a while. I believe my words are the primary thing I have to give the world. If what I write helps even one person, I’m doing my job. 

Lightning Round

  • Classifications: Enneagram 6w7, INFJ, Gryffindor
  • Role Models: Dr. Brené Brown, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elle Woods
  • Favorite food: Grilled cheese sandwich
  • Cocktail: Moscow Mule
  • Smells: the ocean, tea brewing, sunscreen, Yankee Candle Autumn Leaves
  • Bands: Paramore and Hanson
  • Movie: Contact
  • Book of the Bible: Isaiah
  • Must See TV: This Is Us
  • Eternal fashion muse: Gwen Stefani circa 1995

8 Comments

  1. R R

    I like your About page and your Life Goals page. It makes me want to do something like that. Maybe doing a Life Goals page should be the first thing on the page. ;-)

  2. Hey Brenda! Wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment! Turns out that we actually know each other! I’m Emily Pate, and we were both active with RUF at UofM from 2000-2004ish. It’s great to reconnect with you! :D

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