My husband and I made a pact when we got married. We’d live in Houston for five years; then, we’d move. Somewhere beautiful with good weather that we could take for granted. Somewhere with hikeable spaces, mountains perhaps. Somewhere that didn’t morph into a lethal body of water every time…

On Saturday, I thought I was going to die. The world outside the car turned white in a matter of minutes, and my Uber driver explained that this is the worst time to drive. Right when it comes down. The roads are so slick, so suddenly. He’d much rather drive…

My name is Stephanie Wittels Wachs, and I’m launching a GoFundMe campaign to fund other GoFundMe campaigns. Specifically, health-related GoFundMe campaigns. After a judge in Texas ruled last week that parts, and therefore all, of the Affordable Care Act were unconstitutional, I joked that I should start a GoFundMe campaign…

As a little girl, when I looked into my future, I didn’t see GRIEF SPOKESPERSON written on my name tag. On the whole, I’m not a bummer of a person — I swear. Alas, someone who mattered a great, big, major deal to me died suddenly and tragically, and the…

We all know the First Rule of Internet. Let’s all say it together: Don’t read the comments. Don’t. Read. The. Fucking. Comments. …

Last night, on the eve of my brother’s yahrzeit, we taught our four year old about death. It wasn’t a conversation we planned to have nor that we discussed for a single moment prior to having it. It wasn’t some big, grandiose thing that we all sat down and braced…

At some point, life began to feel like an obstacle course. Not a cute little obstacle course like Candy Land with one or two manageable hurdles. One of the obstacle courses you see in movies about military training that involve lots of mud, oppressive bodies of water, and perhaps giant…

In between 24 hour news benders, a solid 48 hour panic attack, back and forths between my mom’s and my house to assess water damage, entertaining a stir-crazy, cooped-up three year old, eating ALL OF THE SNACKS, and donating items to recent Harvey evacuees, I’ve been thinking a lot this…