PinnedAbout me — Susan McCorkindaleFirst up: McCorkindale is my stage name — Hi! I’m Susan McCorkindale. I’ve been writing since my parents gave me my first black and white composition notebook when I was about four. My work wasn’t any good, but that didn’t stop me from chasing them around the house trying to read it to them. Beyond being a writer and an author (I…Writing2 min read
Published in Breast Stories·May 9Taking My LumpsDear God, I might be dying, and you have to butcher my blowout too? — It was about a week before the first anniversary of my husband’s death at four-thirty in the morning and I was at my desk doing my best to crack myself up. I subscribe to the Mel Brooks school of humor which says, “If you laugh, they’re going to laugh.” This…Nonfiction7 min read
Published in The Memoirist·May 6When Good Moms Go DadMaybe Father’s Day is more my holiday — My first Mother’s Day as a single mom or, more accurately, a widow with two kids, was, in no uncertain terms, weird. The boys’ cards were sweet, but I missed the suggestive ones Stu used to give me. …The Memoirist4 min read
Published in QuickTalk·May 5When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Email MomThe real danger of sleep deprivation — TO: Mom FR: Susan Hi Mom, It’s three-fifteen in the morning and I’m awake and reading the “7 Little Known Dangers of Sleep Deprivation.” It was one of the stories on MSN.com, so I clicked through. I guess I could be reading about a 132-pound toddler, reviewing the many and…Humor2 min read
Published in The Memoirist·May 4Mommy/Daddy Houses Need Not ApplyBut eleven hundred square feet and a front stoop could work — We had a couple of hours to kill before the New York Giants game one Sunday, so I took the boys to look at houses. Not because we’re tired of the cows or the snakes or the spooked polo ponies that occasionally run up onto our front porch, do a…The Memoirist3 min read
Published in The Memoirist·Apr 28Ashes, Ashes, We All Wore Dad(And Pete! Why does everyone keep forgetting Pete?) — “Mom, wait! We have to do Pete’s ashes, too!” shouted Cuyler as he ran back into the house. It was a chilly spring morning and he, Casey, and I were going to spread Stu’s ashes on our farm. “What?” I replied, practically falling down the front steps which would’ve been…The Memoirist5 min read
Published in The Press Box·Apr 27She Was a Rugby Mom Like The Rest Of UsAnd then she was gone — She was a rugby mom like the rest of us. She stood on the sidelines watching her son the same way the rest of us watched our sons — hands over our eyes, fingers parted just enough to be able to see. Rugby is so tough — as evidenced by…Rugby4 min read
Published in The Press Box·Apr 20How to Know When Your Kid’s Ready to Play RugbyAnd how to know when YOU’RE ready for your kid to play rugby — As I’ve mentioned previously, rugby is not for the faint of heart. It’s for the fast, strong, tough types who enjoy tackling and being tackled — in nothing more than a tee-shirt and shorts. You may have one of these types in your house. A rough and tumble son or…Sports3 min read
Published in The Press Box·Apr 19A Letter to the NFL and ESPNThank you for considering my application for sideline reporter — Dear ESPN and NFL, Thank you for considering my application for the position of sideline reporter. I’m attaching my reel so you can see me in action. In case you’re wondering if my sports knowledge is limited to football, I’m happy to report (look at me, reporting already!) that I…Football3 min read
Published in The Press Box·Apr 17My Sport is Rugby. No Pads. No Helmets. Just Balls.And really hot guys — Growing up in New Jersey, I learned to love football and root for the NY Giants. I also learned to pray for them as they’re so damn uneven. After my first husband passed away, I prayed to him begging that he help our team. To use his Heavenly powers to…Sports3 min read
