Family Photos: Meet Me At the Fair
It never fails: Every year around September, with autumn closing in, I get Fair Fever — a term that I coined just now, actually! Being from the Midwest, you’d think that I would have grown up going to...
View ArticleTaylor Swift Re-Recording Her Albums Sends a Powerful Message
Taylor Swift taking back her power by re-recording her albums is my 2019 mood. That was my first thought when I heard the news that Taylor Swift is planning to re-record her first five albums. The...
View ArticleHave There Always Been So Many Entitled Dude Bros on The Bachelorette?
Dear Lord: Please give me the confidence of an entitled dude bro contestant on The Bachelorette who is so sure on the first night that they’re going to walk away with the final rose… That was my first...
View ArticleMy Essay on CNN Opinion: “What I Learned After My Troll-Defying Tweet Went...
One of my writing goals for the remainder of 2019 was to publish my 20th op-ed on CNN Opinion. It feels very fitting that 20th piece is about what I’ve learned from going viral with my tweet last week....
View ArticleMy Essay on The Week: “How Ulta Beauty Is Changing Beauty Norms With Its New...
Makeup and I have always had a rather tumultuous relationship. I’ve never understood makeup — or maybe I was insecure because of my disability and never really thought I deserved to wear it? Either...
View ArticleHow I Feel (In 5 Photos) Wednesday.
“I said I won’t get too close…But I can’t stop it…Oh no, there you go…Making me a liar…” –Camila Cabello [Photos via hello ancolie]The post How I Feel (In 5 Photos) Wednesday. appeared first on So...
View ArticleSharpay Evans Deserved Better In High School Musical
Very Important Question: Did you hear about the online fervor last week over High School Musical troublemaker Sharpay Evans? Was she really the villain people made her out to be? I’m here to tell you...
View ArticleNational Voter Registration Day
Are you registered to vote? Today is National Voter Registration Day… We keep this prominently displayed on our fridge as a constant reminder. We can’t forget what’s at stake… Our life depends on it 🧠...
View ArticleMy Essay on The Fix: “Let’s Talk About Suicide”
My newest byline was such an important one for me to write, so I’ll just get right to it today, friends! September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. I knew I wanted to write something, but I...
View ArticleThe World of Social Media and How We Communicate
The world of social media has taken us by storm and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. It allows many to voice our own opinions even when the public doesn’t ask for it. It doesn’t take much to sign...
View ArticleThoughts on National Boyfriend Day
Last Thursday was National Boyfriend Day and I’d just like to give a shout-out to my teenage self, who painstakingly came up with this 12-point checklist for her “boyfriends and husband.” Honestly,...
View ArticleMy Essay on CNN Opinion: “Bell Bottoms and a Blended Family: ‘The Brady...
Here’s the story…of that time I got to write about my favorite TV family!! The 50th anniversary of “The Brady Bunch” was last month and I’ve been wanting to write about it for months!! I had such a...
View ArticleMy Essay on HuffPost Personal: “Trolls Told Me I’m Too Ugly To Post Pics…”
Of all the amazing things that have happened as a result of my viral tweet to the trolls, the thing I’m most proud of is that we’ve started a conversation about beauty and disability! We live in a...
View ArticleDear Janelle: On Your 34th Birthday!
Dear Janelle: WOW. I can’t believe today is your 34th birthday!! It seems like it was just yesterday when we were playing at the playground or zooming our Matchbox cars down that huge ramp in the...
View ArticleMy Very First Speech At a Political Event
Political Event. Yes, you read that right, friends! Political speech, you ask? What political speech is she talking about? Since when does Melissa give political speeches? As of last Thursday, to be...
View ArticleAOC Gets a Haircut. Nancy Pelosi Stands Firm. And I’m Here For ALL of It
OK, so I’ve wanted to pitch op-eds recently about Nancy Pelosi and AOC, but, you know, time just didn’t want to be on my side for some reason — well, the usual reasons. Then I had a brilliant writer...
View ArticleHow Meghan McCain Talking About Her Grief Journey Shaped My Own
Meghan McCain is celebrating her 35th birthday today!! Y’all know I’m a fan girl, right? Or maybe you didn’t if you’re a new blog reader? In that case, you should know that one of the highlights of the...
View ArticleMy Essay on The Riveter: “A Love Letter to My Electric Wheelchair”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, so I was so excited when asked if I’d like to write something about my disability for The Riveter — the site all about women and work! I had...
View ArticleAn Ode to Candy Corn: Halloween’s Most Controversial Candy
Thanks to my awesome mom, I got to indulge in my first taste of candy corn earlier this month!! Well, not my first, first taste; I’ve been a longtime connoisseur! But it was my own version of Candy...
View ArticleMy Essay on Health: “I Was Told I Was ‘Too Ugly’ to Post Photos of Myself…”
Shortly after my tweet went viral last month, an editor from Health magazine reached out and asked if I’d be interested in writing about my disability. I’m so glad we connected and the result is this...
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