familymess
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I Became an International Spy
Hello, dear readers! It’s Tina here, and today I’m about to take you on an adventure that’s far more exciting than my usual tales of burnt toast and awkward encounters at the grocery store. Grab your popcorn, because things are about to get juicy. It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon, the kind where you don’t…
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Audit of an Audacity
Hey guys, pull up a chair and grab a snack. Today’s post is a little different because I’m sharing a story from my close friend Elena. She went through a whirlwind this week, and honestly, her poor life choices are so relatable that I had to document the tea for her. We’ve all been there,…
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You Aren’t a Library Book
Hey everyone, it’s Tina. Pull up a chair, grab a coffee (or something stronger, I won’t judge), and let’s have a little heart-to-heart. I was sitting in my favorite window seat today, watching people rush by, and I started thinking about a friend of mine. Let’s call her “Claire.” Now, Claire is brilliant. She can…
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Why Being the Resident Reality Check is a Lonely (But Hilarious) Job
Let’s just get the elephant out of the room and offer it a seat. If you’re reading this and thinking, “Ugh, Tina? She’s a lot,” I want you to know something important: That is a completely valid feeling. I’m not even being sarcastic. Disliking me is a totally reasonable life choice, like deciding you hate…
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Why My Grocery Store Meltdown Taught Me Everything
Hey friends, it’s Tina. Pull up a chair, grab a coffee (or a glass of wine, no judgment here), and let’s have a real-talk session. You know those days where you wake up, stub your toe on the bedframe, realize you’re out of milk, and the universe just feels like it’s out to get you?…
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Why They’re Ghosting and Why It’s (Probably) Not You
Hey friends, Tina here. Grab a coffee—or a glass of wine, I’m not judging—because we need to have a serious heart-to-heart about something that has been keeping me up at 2:00 AM lately. You know that specific, itchy feeling when you realize someone is actively avoiding you? It’s that moment when you walk into a…
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Why I’m Trading My Filter for a Soulmate (Platonic or Otherwise)
Hey guys, Tina here. I was sitting on my couch today—probably staring at a wall for way too long because that’s just where I’m at right now—and I started thinking about “the mask.” You know the one. That polite, slightly-stiff, “I’m doing great, how are you?” face we all put on when we walk out…
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Why Your “Opinion” Isn’t My Reality
Hey everyone, it’s Tina. Let’s have a little heart-to-heart, shall we? You know those days where you feel like you’re starring in a movie, but the director is incompetent, the script is written in a language you don’t speak, and the audience—specifically the strangers at the grocery store—are all amateur film critics giving you a…
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The “Saint” of Suburbia: The Secret Life of Sarah
If you saw Sarah at a PTA meeting or hosting one of her legendary backyard BBQs, you’d probably feel a little bit of “life envy.” She’s the woman who seems to have weathered the storm and come out glowing. Beside her is her husband, Mark—the man who now looks at her like she’s the North…
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When You Get Adopted by a Tribe That Isn’t Yours
Let’s be real for a second: family is complicated. We love the ones we were born to, but we also know exactly which buttons they can push because, well, they’re the ones who installed them. But then, there’s this other thing—this weird, beautiful, slightly chaotic phenomenon of being folded into a family that has absolutely…
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The Day My “Pure Heart” Got a Reality Check (And a Very Expensive Lesson)
If you’re reading this, you probably know me. Or at least, you know the Tina who used to believe that if you’re nice to people, the universe will treat you like a protagonist in a Hallmark movie. I’m writing this because I recently went through a little something called Betrayal™. And let me tell you,…
Stories From Tina 