LIFE STORIES
Whirling dervish. Adventurer. Reformed helicopter mom. Fighter.
Chapter 1: On the Move
I was born in White Plains, New York to Canadian parents. Both of my parents came from big Catholic families and had 5 brothers and sisters apiece. Interestingly, my father’s sister also married my mother’s brother. This just goes to show, you don’t have to go to Tennessee to see people keeping it all in the family.
Our family stayed in New York for a year before moving to Rotterdam, Holland. Fun fact: our house in Holland had a secret room in the attic that had once used to hide Jewish children during WWII. Our house also looked out onto…
OPEN LETTERS
Let’s talk about that California roll
Dear California Drivers,
Your roads are vast and wide. In fact, compared to the roads in Japan or Italy, you have enough space for double-decker buses. And yet, you still seem to want more. Why stick to one lane, when you can drive in two at the same time? I get it, really, I do. But sometimes more is not better. Trust me.
Over the years, I have seen it all in this fair state. You have opened my eyes. Your driving is legendary. But not everyone is in the know. …
TELEVISION
Why this Netflix show made my brain hurt
I was in search of mindless TV. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to give my brain a rest and dive into Netflix headfirst. I stumbled on a show called Sex Life.
And of course, I was reeled in.
With a title like that, who wouldn’t be? But as I started to watch, a big part of me, the one which has been a mother to two young children, couldn’t help but tear apart every little detail.
This is because Sex Life seems to be so far from real life, it is almost laughable. …
PARENTING AND PSYCHOLOGY
And how to ensure your kids don’t lose their sense of wonder in the process.
Have you ever stumbled across a mom with a crying toddler in tow trying to run out of the local toy store? The child, a little boy, is screaming at the top of his lungs because his mom refused to buy him a toy. The poor mom is sweating profusely and has her eyes averted to the world as if to say, “please don’t judge me.”
Some bystanders may even be milling around shaking their heads, clearly sympathizing with the mother. …
LIFE LESSONS
Moon River, memories and the life lessons I hold dear
I watch her take a seat at the piano. It’s old and slightly out of tune, but it still works. Her fingers dance across the keys as she starts to sing,
“Moon River, wider than a mile. I’m crossing you in style, someday.”
She’s a small woman, no more than 5'3". She is older now. But her voice fills her tiny apartment. She plays by ear. I am tone-deaf and not sure what happened as she has so much musical talent to share.
Her eyes are twinkling, and she is lost in the music.
As I listen, I forget about…
HUMOR & WRITING
Because we all need a little more laughter in our lives
I love humor. In fact, satire is one of my favorite genres.
But good humor is incredibly difficult to write. Go too far and you can insult your readers. Don’t go far enough, and your humor will fall flat. Wait too long to get to the punchline, and your readers may never get that far.
It’s an art form. And one we all need. Because as Charlie Chaplin noted, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
Fortunately, Medium has some fantastic writers of humor, satire, and comedy. …
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
What I learned the hard way and what you can do to heal
Two years ago, I suffered not one, not two, but three concussions. That’s right, three back-to-back concussions.
Now before you start wondering how I could be so unlucky (I’ve asked myself that many times) — you should know that the likelihood of getting a second concussion once you have had the first one is extremely high.
In fact, the British Journal of Sports Medicine recently studied this in children and found concussed children are four times more likely to sustain a second concussion. And the odds of getting a third or a fourth are higher still.
I was fortunate because…
OPEN LETTERS
#1. That thing on top of the toilet is what you use to flush
Dear Teenager in Training,
You’re 14 years old — practically an adult. You are almost ready to go into the world and make your mark. And yet, I do worry about you. Our bathroom worries about you. Our shower, sink, and toilet downright shudder when you enter the room.
Because let’s face it, your bathroom etiquette has a long way to go. In fact, I’m not sure you know what everything in the bathroom does, so I thought I would take this time to spell it out for you.
Top 10 Bathroom Basics
1. That thing on top of the toilet — that’s what…
A sonnet about rambling through the Rocky Mountains
What is summer bliss? Endless frolicking
on Banff’s secluded trails, ‘neath cobalt skies.
We stride to Bow Falls with hoodoos lurking,
windswept and sun-kissed, they regally rise.
Across scree-laden passes, we scramble,
above Lake Louise’s turquoise veneer.
O’er jagged rocks to summit, we amble.
Through mist, the sun’s languid rays reappear.
From Vermillion Lakes to Sunshine we ride,
spellbound by verdant Rocky Mountain views.
We ascend to alpine meadows so wide,
bursting with lilac, rose, and golden hues.
Surely summer bliss is nature’s pursuit,
rambling through Banff’s wild and wonderful routes.
Thank you for reading.
© Courtney Burry 2021, All…
MEDICAL HUMOR
Don’t mind me. I have all the time in the world.
Dear Dr. Hicklerump,
I’m so glad I showed up on time for my appointment. Truly. I know you refused to see me last Tuesday because I was 10 minutes late.
So, I made a point of getting here today at 11am sharp. Only, it turns out you are running a little behind schedule.
You see, your clock just struck 11:55am.
Not that I am keeping track or anything. No. That would be silly.
Because, like all your patients, I came here today to hang out in your waiting room.
And don’t mind my sick toddler screaming in the background. …
Courtney Burry
5X top writer. I love to use satire and humor. I write about travel, politics, family, feminism, sports, health & music. So, basically everything.
