Who's a good boy? This dog has it way better than I did. I'll bet he didn't get sent to break rocks for a bad article. As I'm editing (OK, rewriting) sections of my book, I'm taking out anecdotes that don't really work. Instead of relinquishing them to the junk pile, I'm resurrecting them for … Continue reading Stuff that won’t make it into my book #1: That time I wrote a magazine article Miscavige didn’t like.
It comes off in layers.
Bear with me while I peel off some more... As I write this, I'm listening to Kenny Loggins. I'm loving me some vintage Kenny these days. Right now, I'm rotating between "I Believe in Love", "I'm Free", and "I'm Alright." On the last one, I usually do a bit of this kind of wiggling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLHh6aiSHGE … Continue reading It comes off in layers.
Thanks, Scientology (no, really!)
Awww... look at this chunky li'l hamster saying "Thank You". Or maybe he's just eating... or cleaning himself. Whatever he's doing, he's totes adorbs! So here it is, 2021. Based on everything I'm reading on the interwebs, it's time to write one of two types of posts: Looking back and reviewing the year and what … Continue reading Thanks, Scientology (no, really!)
How writing a book about scientology chilled me the f*** out.
Yeah, this isn't me — but isn't it cute? All props go to @cookiethepom. Who's a good boy? Yeah, I'll admit it. When I first started writing this blog a little over a year ago, I was a mess. I was so stuck in my trauma I couldn't move forward. I had big dreams, but … Continue reading How writing a book about scientology chilled me the f*** out.
Wanna know what it’s like to be in a high control group? BITE me.
No, really—BITE me, as in, come along with me as I tell you about the BITE Model. This is how I learned what high control groups, like Scientology, have in common. NOTE: I've decided to stop using the "c" word in my writing (ok, just one more time: CULT). It brings up bad memories. There's … Continue reading Wanna know what it’s like to be in a high control group? BITE me.
From Post-Traumatic Stress to Post-Traumatic Growth: A Continuing Journey
Kintsukuroi, “to repair with gold,” is the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken. Just like me. I had an interesting conversation with an old friend the other day. I hadn't spoken to him since about 2003, when we worked together at … Continue reading From Post-Traumatic Stress to Post-Traumatic Growth: A Continuing Journey
The Slap That Changed Everything
NOTE: Up to now in this blog, I've changed the names of many people. I no longer choose to do that, so these are their real names. “Here we go. I think we’ve got it nailed this time.” I sure sounded confident when talking to my design team about our latest submission—such a good faker. … Continue reading The Slap That Changed Everything
STRONG
What does it mean to be strong? I’ve been working it over—a lot. Am I strong because I survived a 20-year cult experience? Because I left with nothing and rebuilt my life from scratch? Because I continue to believe in the goodness of people despite the horrors I observed? Maybe. I was talking to my … Continue reading STRONG
Surviving Trauma: Oh, the Burdens we Carry.
When I was a Linguistics and French major in college, I read a lot of Camus: L'Etranger (The Stranger), La Peste (The Plague), and of course, Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus). Poor old Sisyphus. Doomed to push the same rock up a mountain every day, only to see it fall to the … Continue reading Surviving Trauma: Oh, the Burdens we Carry.
“Life After Lockup” Scientology-style!
The other day I saw an ad for a show called “Life After Lockup.” I wanted to find out what it was about. My curiosity took me down a rabbit hole to “Love After Lockup,” the first show in the series. Where have these shows been all my life??? If only I had spare time … Continue reading “Life After Lockup” Scientology-style!