blog.

Not Write Now

By Melissa McKay / March 16, 2021 /

For the past 2 days, I’ve had the privilege of reading Praying With Our Feet by Lindsey Krinks. Lindsey and I both ended up in Nashville, though we both grew up in the same small church in South Carolina. In fact, my summer job for 2 years in high school was babysitting Lindsey and her…

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International Women’s Day

By Melissa McKay / March 8, 2021 /

WARNING: Curse word ahead Today is International Women’s Day. I’ve spent the last month making edits and additions to stories about my experiences as a woman growing up in a conservative church and home, so this topic is fresh in my mind. Yesterday, I discovered an inflammatory video of a Baptist preacher instructing women on…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 6

By Melissa McKay / February 15, 2021 /

TRIGGER WARNING! I’m aware of my Nashville friends currently under a blanket of ice, with temps below freezing until Thursday. Some of you may be hating me right now. If you need to take a pass on viewing my pictures or reading my update today, I totally understand.  First off, I want to wish Reagan…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 5

By Melissa McKay / February 8, 2021 /

It’s been a pretty chill week. While I go the the Farmer’s Market and do other grocery shopping for the week on Mondays, my Tuesday-Friday schedule has been pretty consistent: Wake up, walk on the beach while listening to a book or podcast, update journal, work out, eat breakfast, write or edit, eat lunch, write…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 4ish

By Melissa McKay / February 2, 2021 /

This post is a few days late, because Tim was here this weekend. It’s longer than usual. I’ve reached the halfway point. I still love it out here, but I did have to take a break from guacamole. Maybe I should cut back to making it just once a week. I’ve enjoyed the freezer meals…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 3

By Melissa McKay / January 22, 2021 /

It’s hard to fathom that I’ve been here 3 weeks already. Though my only goal for this trip is to avoid seasonal depression, I still feel guilt on those days I do nothing but read or make playlists on Apple Music. I turned on the TV for the first time last weekend to binge season…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 2

By Melissa McKay / January 15, 2021 /

It’s sunny and beautiful as I write, which I appreciate even more than usual. Tuesday and Wednesday were gray, windy, and rainy. After staying cooped up inside for 2 days, I savored my walk on the beach Thursday. In 2 weeks time, I’ve acquired a fine collection of sea glass. My days are uneventful. Every…

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Winter Sabbatical 2021: Week 1

By Melissa McKay / January 8, 2021 /

So, has anything interesting happened since I left? In my efforts to disconnect and find some peace, I had been staying away from social media and news sites. But since Reagan texted me on Wednesday, I’ve been doom-scrolling on Twitter and I hate myself for it. I won’t go into all of the emotions I’ve…

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The Final Countdown

By Melissa McKay / December 31, 2020 /

My flight to Mexico leaves in less than 36 hours, and yes, I am excited. I am also in FULL CATASTROPHIZING FREAKOUT MODE. My brain is scrolling through every worst case scenario it can imagine. I already hate flying, and the plane from Miami to Merida is much smaller than I’m used to. I think…

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50 Before 50 Progress Report: Learning

By Melissa McKay / September 24, 2020 /

I just celebrated my 46th birthday. A few months ago, I created a 50 Before 50 challenge to make the 50 months leading up to my 50th birthday more interesting. Goals fell into 5 categories: learning, giving, fun, investing, and self-improvement. I’m 2 months into the challenge. Progress has been a bit slower than I’d…

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