Apparently, my only redeeming quality in life right now is possessing the new Apple iPhone X. Charming. In the 36 hours it’s been in my possession, all conversations have diverted to the phone. Even out of sight, it’s grabbing all the attention. “OMG you have the X,” one guy gushed at me in Deep Ellum…
Katy Trail Weekly
Rani Monson writes a biweekly humor column for Katy Trail Weekly.
Surfing Down the Retail Abyss of Amazon
I’m not sure if I’ve hit a new high or reached a new low in life. Today, I received an online order in the mail that has me thinking about my relationship with Amazon. It’s making me see myself in a new, not positive light, but I’m struggling to acknowledge the full truth. I’m now…
Take a Native Texan to the State Fair
I’ve lived in Texas long enough that I’ve been to the State Fair of Texas more than once. I’ve gone with my parents and a night with friends and co-workers. I’ve gone before a Dallas Summer Musicals show. I even went on what I thought was a date, only to later find out it wasn’t.…
Unexpected Acts of Kindness
Among the horror we’ve witnessed over the last several weeks, it’s been amazing to see tiny glimmers of awesomeness during hurricanes in Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico. In Las Vegas, where strangers put their lives at risk to help others as a gunman rained down bullets on country music fans. These senseless acts of violence…
Camping for the first time at 43
I did it. Finally. I went camping for the first time at 43. It was car camping, but close enough. After avoiding it throughout life, I can call it done. I’ve had a brief delusion thinking my “outdoor girl” persona could survive. A short-lived stint in Idaho. Running outside in the winter in Chicago. But…
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
After a long holiday weekend, I hit the snooze button for 37 minutes, the amount of time I had allocated for the morning workout I detest. I overslept and skipped the gym, hardly the way I want to start a new week. That’s because no good deed goes unpunished. I’m already down, having dashed my…
Family Photo Perfect Display of Dysfunction
My parents recently celebrated a wedding anniversary. A big one. To the point I needed to visit a specialty card store, the kind that makes me feel instantly bad about myself when I walk in. For not sending enough cards. Or color coordinated enough. Or just not being … enough. Pickings for celebrating 50 years…
Are Shoes Function or Fashion?
Recently, I read an article suggesting a woman should build her outfit by starting with her shoes, claiming it’s a way to fully utilize fabulous footwear. I scoffed. Getting dressed is hard enough, figuring out what clothes fit that day and where I left my pants lying around the house. For me, shoes are the…
Who Knew Lipstick Could be the Gloss on My Mood
It’s not uncommon for me to have my eyeliner lightly smeared down my face or my hair sticking up in funny directions, untamed despite my ponytail. Yeah. I’ve gotten accustomed to ignoring how I look. While I can be a bit ignorant, it isn’t the blissful sort. It’s my own discomfort with my appearance, be…
I Have an Online Shopping Problem
I think I may have a problem. Of the shopping variety. Specifically, I have an online shopping problem. To be clear, this isn’t the “oops I’ve drank too much and ordered a handbag” concern that one in three people suffer from at night. I may be sleepy, at most, but I’m definitely stone-cold sober when…