The power of healing hands — Sandra got out of the passenger side of the mid-size luxury SUV parked in the back lot of the high school. She squirted germ-x on one hand and rubbed it into the other. She never looked back, just walked straight to her own car, parked about 100 feet away. She…

And soon discovered I’d been locked out for the day — Summers were not known for being terribly hot in the small, central Kentucky town where I grew up. Our home, like most of the simple, brick, ranch-style homes where I lived, did not have air conditioning. We did have a window unit in the kitchen, but otherwise, it was open…

Finding a replacement for alcohol and becoming more productive — I’ve written some about my struggles with alcohol use. Washing Away the Magic Life is full of magical moments and alcohol can wash them awaymedium.com I’ve found that writing about this truth from my past helps me process — and reminds me why alcohol is no longer a part of my life. One lesson many in early recovery learn is that after you stop using your…

Just a few laughs around the Thanksgiving table — Do you ever have a memory or look back on a past event and then think, “Did it really happen that way?” That’s how I felt after writing about being locked outside my house as a child. I remember spending summer days with my sister wandering around our small town. …

This Black Friday, a cartoon bear wants you to buy now and pay later — I’ve written a lot about the pain of buy now, pay later loans. In short, while Buy Now, Pay Later CAN provide relatively easy access to small-dollar credit at rates that are comparatively better than payday loans, the profile of BNPL borrowers seems to suggest that these loans are adding…

Employees at one of America’s largest banks explore unionization — I’ve written a fair amount about one of America’s largest (and baddest) banks, Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo Sucks And still has tons of customersadvocateandy.medium.com Now, it seems that workers at some Wells Fargo branches are exploring the possibility of joining a union. Employees in Albuquerque, N.M., and Bethel, Alaska, said they would notify the National Labor Relations Board that…

Brigit App and a subscription you couldn’t cancel — App-based nonbank lender Brigit was recently hit with an $18 million fine by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The crux of the enforcement action was that Brigit’s subscription was incredibly difficult to cancel. …

You’ll only have to join the Cartoon Bear Club — Need groceries? Fuel tank a little low? Maybe you want something flavored with pumpkin spice? No worries! The friendly cartoon bear over at the Dave App has you covered. Just take an “easy” cash advance from their lending club and you’re on you way. Full of coffee, gas, and groceries. …

A pattern of discrimination — Citibank is again in the news for all the wrong reasons. This time, Citi was found guilty of discrimination in credit card denials. For a period of six years, Citi singled out consumers it suspected of being of Armenian descent for illegal discrimination, including denying them access to Citi’s credit…