Well! Fancy meeting you here! If you’ve come from Suburban Turmoil, you’re probably wondering what all this is about. The fact is, a lot has changed since I started that blog back in 2005. For one thing, my kids, known on the blog as Punky and Bruiser, grew up! Punky is now 20 and a […] The post Welcome to Something Totally Different! appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

I don’t know who needs to read this, but — This is just a reminder that abuse is never okay. It doesn’t matter if your partner is successful or famous. It doesn’t matter if it only gets physical once or twice a year. It doesn’t matter if he has abuse or trauma in his own […] The post A Public Service Announcement appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

For more than two decades, The Covenant School has been woven into the background of my everyday life. Nestled in the woods of one of Nashville’s wealthiest neighborhoods, you probably wouldn’t even notice it unless you happen to know someone working or attending school there. It’s small – only kindergarten through sixth grade – but […] The post In a time of despair, Nashville’s student protestors are my new heroes appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

Every December since 2005, famed Nashville pianist Jen Gunderman (and by ‘famed’ I mean she just played with Brandi Carlile on SNL) and her friends have played the entire Charlie Brown Christmas album in concert. It’s one of my favorite holiday events, and I was lucky enough to get to go with some of my […] The post ‘Cause There’s No Place Like Humiliation for the Holidays appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

Between pop-up bars, light shows, concerts, holiday markets, and more, we have scores of entertainment choices here in Nashville when Christmas rolls around, and every year the options seem to get bigger, brighter, and a whole lot more expensive. Case in point: Enchant Nashville. Billed as ‘The World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze & Village,’ the […] The post Enchant Nashville: Perfect for Anyone with Money to Burn and Time to Kill appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

One of my favorite things to do before I travel is find out all the best secrets about the place I’m headed. Is there a restaurant the locals love? A time of day or week to visit an attraction and beat the crowds? A tour with the best guide ever? TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT. […] The post Secrets of Holiday World, Straight From Employees and Superfans appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

I never went to camp as a kid and I’ve always regretted it. I wanted in on the kind of lifelong friendships that are born from sweaty summers spent singing ‘On Top of Spaghetti” around a campfire, splashing around in a muddy lake, and checking each other for ticks. As a sort of consolation prize […] The post In Which I, a Grown Ass Adult, Go to Summer Camp appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

Supposedly, everyone’s in Europe right now, which is fine with me because it means the lines are shorter at Holiday World. America’s first theme park happens to be just two and half hours from Nashville in (heh) Santa Claus, Indiana. It is big, with both a sizable amusement park and an equally impressive water park, […] The post Let’s Discuss My Holiday World Obsession (and Give Away Some Tickets!) appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

When you think of Franklin, Tennessee, your mind probably goes straight to its historic downtown, filled with shops and restaurants and Civil War-era homes and buildings. Much has been written about the downtown area and I’m definitely one of its biggest fans — but there’s so much more to do and see in Franklin and […] The post 25 Must-See Hidden Gems in Franklin, Tennessee appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more

I don’t know who needs to read this, but — This is just a reminder that abuse is never okay. It doesn’t matter if your partner is successful or famous. It doesn’t matter if it only gets physical once or twice a year. It doesn’t matter if he has abuse or trauma in his own […] The post A Public Service Announcement appeared first on Suburban Turmoil ..read more