Mary Novaria

I was running errands and listening to “Terrible, Thanks for Asking,” one of my go-to podcasts. Creator and host Nora McInerny’s latest book, Bad Vibes Only,* just dropped and she was preparing to share a chapter from the audio version with the listeners she calls “Terribles.”  The selection Nora featured on the podcast was about finding a new therapist.  (BTW, I call Nora by her first name because she feels so familiar to me, not only because I listen to her podcast and have read three of her books, but because her Minnesota accent reminds me of my dear family member/friend from Wisconsin who has that same upper Midwest sound. ) After moving to the desert West from the Twin Cities, Nora explained, she needed to find a new therapist, dentist, and grocery store, among other things. This resonated with me as I happened to be on my way to the grocery store and – Oops!... We did it again! – after our recent move I’m on a valiant quest for the ideal market. Our first night here, I ...

John R. Perry Photo Like microwave ovens and ATMs, drive-thrus and meal delivery services were created to make our lives easier, more convenient and stress free. When I was a kid, the only food you could order for delivery was pizza, and you had to pay in cash. Except for one time my parents were out. I gathered every quarter, dime and nickel in the house, paying in change for the chance to see the cute delivery guy I was crushing on. Fawaz_Sharif Photo Today, though, you can get any food delivered. Steaks, sushi, shawarma – the possibilities are endless. The last couple of years, my husband, John, has even had a red velvet cheesecake delivered to our door on Christmas Eve, and we do still order the occasional pizza. Use PayPal, Apple Pay, or a credit card. For most of it, you couldn’t pay in cash (or coins) even if you wanted to. Meal delivery services are not without their problems – forgotten salad dressing, col...

This piece first appeared in the Huffington Post. They say moving is one of life's greatest stressors -- right up there with death and divorce. I'd like to see the stats on moving as a cause of death and divorce because if anything will make you feel murderous and conflicted, it's moving. After living in the same home for 18 years and in the same community for nearly 30, my husband and I relocated halfway across the country and have now moved three times in less than three years. So, you'd think I'd have moving down to a science by now. I don't. Unless it's a Psych 101 experiment designed to discover how many ways a move can make you completely insane. After a charming apartment that was close to the beach but way too small, and a house whose breathtaking view did not outweigh its considerable deficiencies and not-so-charming landlord, we found The One. Or so we thought. My husband and I are realistic enough to know that nothing's perfect, but ...

When our Kansas home went on the market two years ago, we thoughtfully staged the house with the help of a professional. We didn’t necessarily agree with everything she asked us to do—taking out all our books and bookshelves, for instance—but we complied, putting excess furniture, family photos and excess décor into a rented storage unit. Then our realtor suggested we fly an American flag every day. “Buyers love that,” she said. We took her word for it, dusted off the flag we normally flew only on national holidays, and slipped it into the rusty bracket by the garage door. A week later we had a full-price offer on the house. In addition to the side-by-side refrigerator, our buyer asked for the American flag. It seemed a small price to pay. “Sure, she can have it,” we said. Now, two years later, we’re flagless and all of a sudden I’m feeling it. Until today, I hadn't once thought about replacing that flag. I didn’t even realize I missed Old Glory until John ...