Hey college preppers and parents!Coming at you on a Sunday, which have — for the longest time — been my Mondays.But now that my kiddos are getting older, I may need to switch it up a bit because we all want a little more weekend time together.And that's kinda the parenting adventure, amiright? You feel like you maybe sort of the hang of a rhythm, and then...BAM. New variable...and no matter how old your student is, late April is the middle of it all.AP exams next month, end of the school year...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
“Meh hih a poh-uh car,” Lindsey forced out around a mouthful of Togo’s California Club while grabbing her keys and our giant shared Diet Coke. “A wha?” I asked through my last bite of BLT. “Make him a pop-up card,” after an effortful gulp. “Like, straight up make that bad boy out of construction paper. Classic, quirky, cute.” “Linz…are you serious?” I’d just started dating this new guy on January 11, and I was pretty smitten already. Valentine’s Day was right around the corner, and it felt...
2 months ago • 3 min read
In the past few weeks, I've received a couple of marketing emails from someone I adore that included the phrase “gobbly goop.*” But I haven't said anything about that being the incorrect spelling. Not because I didn’t notice. (I noticed immediately.) As a lifelong word and grammar nerd, I've learned something important: accuracy and relationship don't always share the same goal. Correcting someone... even kindly... changes the air. Suddenly, you’re the judge and the red pen becomes a gavel....
3 months ago • 3 min read
This past weekend, I received a wonderful gift—without realizing it for about eight hours. Let me explain.So, for a lot of 2025, I felt like I’d been battling self-imposed deadlines, and well…losing. It didn’t feel so great, but thanks to the inimitable Kristina Driskill and the Positive Intelligence (PQ) approach she introduced me to, I’m much better able to quickly recognize the cast of mental baddies—or saboteurs, as they’re called in PQ-speak—that tend to show up mid-mental battle....
5 months ago • 3 min read
A few years ago, I was with a group of college counselors when someone sighed and said, “Welp, it's Rocktober — I get rocked by it every year.” We all laughed, because… fair. October can hit hard. The semester’s in full "midterms and applications" swing, and everything feels a little crunchy. (Meanwhile, the only crunch most of us want is from pumpkin biscotti or leaves underfoot, amiright?) But then I said, “Hey — what’s one thing we can all do right now to make sure we rock Rocktober...
8 months ago • 2 min read
Ever have a parenting day that feels like you're trying to polish a grass-covered turd? Yeah. Me too. And recently, I had one of those days not just as a mom...but in my business. Back in May, you voted YES to a special Zoom session for parents, so my fave parenting coach Diana Davidson and I got to work (it’s happening this Wednesday at 6:15pm PT, deets below).She brought the wisdom. I brought the...design? What started as a sweet “empty nest” graphic somehow turned into a steaming pile...
12 months ago • 2 min read
Hey y’all!it’s Fatoumata—AKA Fanta (🍊 yes like the orange soda)—again!You may remember me from my email takeover last year—and guess what? I’m back! Mindi’s getting ready for her #WinningCollege workshop for rising seniors that starts this Sunday (and no, it’s not too late if you're interested in comprehensive college application and essay support). So, I’m doing a surprise pop-in and taking over her email! Now, time for a little life update… Around this time last year, I called...
about 1 year ago • 2 min read
Just over a decade ago, a client flew me to Africa (yes, really!). One morning, I woke up and looked out on the lawn where I was staying and locked eyes with a warthog—just as it dropped to its knees. To eat some breakfast. Apparently, warthogs literally kneel down to feed themselves ‘cuz they have short necks—and kneeling also helps them keep a low profile against predators while chowin’ down.Not glamorous. Not dignified. But warthogs are deeply committed to the goal: efficient nourishment....
about 1 year ago • 5 min read
Hey 11th graders (and the parents who love them), You know I love a good theme—and so does my college prep co-pilot, Lyn Fairchild Hawks at Success Story. So in honor of Star Wars Day, we’re beaming a little galactic essay prep into your inbox (on this May-gray SoCal day, no less). Now, if you missed our Bookend Your Summer webinar last Sunday, let me ask: As spring semester winds down, are ya feelin’ like college applications are creeping in like the Emperor’s ominous star fleet? If your...
about 1 year ago • 2 min read