Why I love Penelope Trunk.

"Because if I am living an honest life, and my eyes are open, and I’m trying my hardest to be good and kind, then anything I’m doing is fine to tell people." Penelope Trunk


This woman tweeted about having a miscarriage...during a board meeting.

She shamelessly blogged about being frustrated with trying to get an abortion in Wisconsin.

Trunk researched and wrote about the correlation between higher-paid women and oral sex.

Penelope Trunk publicly wrote about her divorce.

This last statement is how I found her blog. I was going through a divorce and what I found out later was severe depression. I couldn't think at work. Some days I would come in and sit in my chair and do absolutely nothing. Not one thing. Not surfing the internet, painting my nails, or reading a book (which I've done before at work). I. did. nothing. I didn't even think. I couldn't concentrate enough to form a coherent thought. I knew this couldn't last. So being the school nerd I am, I looked up divorce and work online. Surely someone has experienced this same struggle. How does one navigate one's life while it's being examined, redefined, assessed and mutilated at the same time?

I found nothing that fit my needs. Oh, there's lots of stuff on divorce, the legal stuff, the custody stuff, the splitting up the stuff stuff. And there's way more information about depression. But that isn't what I wanted. I wanted work and divorce. I don't have a trust fund...I can't take a leave of absence. Eventually I found this. Hi Ms. Trunk...that's a weird name to choose.

The fact that I found something made a difference. I think I might have filed a piece of paper, or renamed a folder that day. Because she shared her experience, not with a few people, but for all, she provided me with something I needed. She didn't tell me what to do, how to do it, or how much to pay, all she did was say...me too. I know that too. And that's what I needed to move on. In a nutshell, what she writes is about knowing yourself; whether it's at work, at home, or on the farm. At that time in my life, I didn't know myself. I didn't have a clue whose body I was in. So that was where I began.

I'm not judging her tweets, posts or other comments. My opinion of her life doesn't matter. I'm not judging her. I'm glad she talks about her life at work and at home. I don't think she's wrong for doing it. Following her experience gives me food for thought about mine. It makes me think about what I might write about my own life at work. What issues do I dare reveal? If it's happening, why deny it? I agree with PT that keeping secrets is not a good thing.

I don't know that anything earth shattering would have happened had I not found her blog that day. I'm sure I would have pulled myself together, as I have and continue to do. But man oh man, I'm glad she did. I imagine someone else somewhere is appreciative for that tweet as well.

I'm doing my best to live an honest life, keep my eyes open, take responsibility for my actions, and be good and kind. I'm with you PT.