Category Archives: Uncategorized

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 , , , , , | 2 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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Three of the Best Bosses I’ve Ever Had

Posted on February 22, 2022 by minndixiemom

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou ******************************************** I’ve had many jobs and even more bosses. My first gig was at … Continue reading →

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My 3-pound universe: Irony, denial and addiction

Posted on September 20, 2021 by minndixiemom

In my early 20s, I went out with a nice guy. Over dinner, he shared that he was on Zoloft for depression. I recoiled. For starters, that’s not first-date material. Secondly, I was rife with judgment. I didn’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Generous even in death, Jim Pickett gave the gift of life to five strangers

Posted on July 16, 2018 by minndixiemom

In loving memory of James Michael Pickett, November 7, 1964 – July 1, 2018 Jim Pickett was passionate, kind, entrepreneurial, loyal, and spirited. He enjoyed good friends, great food, and lively conversation. But more than anything, he loved my sister, … Continue reading →

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Self-Defense and Situational Awareness: Potentially lifesaving lessons from a former Navy Seal.

Posted on December 8, 2017 by minndixiemom

For years, I talked about enrolling our daughters, 10 and 12, in a self-defense class. One mass shooting after another (Sandy Hook, Aurora, Charleston, and Orlando, for instance) was shaking our nation. After each one, I, like so many others, … Continue reading →

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Teens, Tweens and Social Media Madness

Posted on August 6, 2017 by minndixiemom

BACK IN MY DAY I walked to the sketchy corner grocery store alone, at night, to pick up milk or eggs for my parents. Also back in my day: I played outside long past sunset, until my mom hollered for … Continue reading →

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Thank you, Officer, for my speeding ticket

Posted on July 4, 2017 by minndixiemom

Reminders to slow down this Fourth of July and all year long It had been a fabulous weekend! Our daughters were in Atlanta helping a friend celebrate her 13th birthday. My sister, Heidi Hovland, made an impromptu trip to Huntsville, … Continue reading →

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Father’s Day 2016

Posted on June 19, 2016 by minndixiemom

Belated thanks and apologies to my late father, Gjert Andreas Hovland Dear Dad, This is my 14th Father’s Day without you. I remember when you first passed away on October 9, 2002. The hurt was not only emotional, but physical. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments