Tina S. Writes
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Read It Before Everyone Else Does.
I’m inviting 100 thoughtful readers to receive a free digital advance copy of Nobody Needs Anything Right Now—a warm and quietly funny collection of personal essays about motherhood, marriage, friendship, ambition, belonging, and the many selves women carry inside one life. If selected, you’ll have until October 23, 2026, to read it and share your honest response. An Amazon or Goodreads review after publication is appreciated, but never required—and it never has to be positive.
One of the seventy-five essays in the collection. Some are funnier than this. Some aren't funny at all.
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Off-Roading
Years ago, my husband took me to an off-roading park in the United States. He was very excited to show me the dusty trails, the enormous four-wheel-drive vehicles, and the people bouncing over rough terrain while having a wonderful time. “This,” he explained proudly, “is off-roading.” I nodded politely.
A few years later, during the rainy season, we visited my family in the mountains. This time, I had the opportunity to introduce him to the version of off-roading I knew. The road wound narrowly through the mountains as rain fell relentlessly around us. Waterfalls poured directly across our path, and in some places, the road was barely wide enough for one vehicle.
We were driving an ordinary car without four-wheel drive. At several points, everyone found something to hold on to—not so much for balance as for emotional support. My father, meanwhile, drove with the calm concentration of someone heading to the grocery store.
Then the car got stuck. I became slightly concerned. My husband became significantly concerned. My father remained completely unbothered. He knew exactly what to do. A short while later, we were moving again, and he continued driving as though nothing unusual had happened.
I looked at my husband and said, “This is what I call off-roading.” He has never asked to go off-roading with my family again.
