Author Archives: minndixiemom

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About minndixiemom

I'm a Minnesota native with an Alabama heart, reflecting on the past while looking toward the future. My husband, David, and I landed in Huntsville in the late 90s through my former career in TV news. We have two amazing girls, Serina and Sophia, whom we are raising (or have raised... they're growing up!) with God's guidance and grace. Besides faith and family, my passions include writing, walking, mental health, and recovery. By day, I'm the Director of Development for North Alabama's largest community mental healthcare provider. Opinions are my own.

I Hear her Voice

Posted on September 11, 2025 by minndixiemom

I can still hear it—a voice as lovely and lively as she was. “Hi, Karen,” she’d say, when I answered one of her daily phone calls. She was always happy to hear my voice. Today, I would do anything to … Continue reading →

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My Interview with Garrison Keillor: Lessons Learned

Posted on February 10, 2025 by minndixiemom

When I met Garrison Keillor in 1995, I was young, immature, and easily offended. I couldn’t believe he made me wait over an hour for an interview. Keillor, a legendary storyteller, was busy tending to his fans, you know, the … Continue reading →

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My Last Drunken New Year: Cheers to Sobriety

Posted on January 1, 2025 by minndixiemom

On December 31, 2001, I was still struggling with alcohol misuse. I’d been concerned about my drinking for a while, and had even explored treatment at a local facility. I wasn’t ready, though, and convinced myself, and my husband, that … Continue reading →

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Reflections in Recovery: Thoughts on Matthew Perry’s Autobiography, his Death, and the Drug Ketamine

Posted on January 2, 2024 by minndixiemom

Matthew Perry’s memoir hit me hard. The stretches of sobriety, heartbreaking relapses, and deeply-rooted resentments. Sure, there were moments of levity, laughter, and hope, fueled by Perry’s sheer determination to keep fighting, but there was an eerie sense of foreshadowing … Continue reading →

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My 3-Pound Universe: The Realities of ADHD Relapse

Posted on November 10, 2023 by minndixiemom

When I feel bad mentally, I can usually trace it back to my ADHD. It’s a condition we often joke about, flippantly saying things like, “I’m so ADHD today,” or “Squirrel!” Of all mental illnesses, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is among the … Continue reading →

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A Letter to my Mom

Posted on August 28, 2023 by minndixiemom

Dear Mom, We lost you three years ago, today. It’s an anniversary I recognize, but don’t celebrate. When you took your last breath, I lost a few of mine. You hadn’t been feeling well. I knew that day was coming. … Continue reading →

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“I Win!” Words of Wisdom from my Grissom Grad

Posted on June 19, 2023 by minndixiemom

She smiled big as she sashayed across the stage, stopping for that long-awaited photo opp, one hand shaking the principal’s, the other gripping her high school diploma. It had been a long journey, but she was finally here, at the … Continue reading →

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Why I Failed Dry January

Posted on January 24, 2023 by minndixiemom

Long before it was a thing, I gave Dry January my best shot. Almost every New Year, I resolved to quit drinking. Maybe not for an entire month, but almost a month. Or a couple of weeks. I fell short, … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Mental health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Den Siste Hilsen (The Final Farewell)

Posted on July 13, 2022 by minndixiemom

It’s strange, preparing to say goodbye to someone who died nearly two years earlier. You’ve already cried. You’ve grieved. You’ve come to terms with your loss. Yet there we were, on June 28, 2022, scrunched into row 39 on a … Continue reading →

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Reflections in Recovery: 20 Years Sober

Posted on May 5, 2022 by minndixiemom

Today, June 21, 2022, I celebrate 20 years of sobriety. I’m grateful. And deeply reflective. In recovery, we’re not supposed to “regret the past, nor shut the door on it.” It seems I had done a bit of both. I … Continue reading →

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