☔I’m Rani Monson — former newspaper reporter, recent work in the Wall Street Journal and two+ decades in tech. My name is pronounced like the weather. You know: “Wow, it sure is a rainy day out there!”

I live in Dallas where I do flow yoga in the driveway and grow native plants in the bathtub. I’m a middle-age doodle dog mom and do my best shopping in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep, after I’ve woken up to pee. You too?

After each monthly visit to get my hair done, new grays immediately sprout up around my face and I look like a chia pet. It’s insane. I rely on Botox to keep my forehead in place and filler to keep my chin above my chest.

Retail Therapy is where I write about the things most people think but won't say out loud. This isn’t a shopping site. There aren’t affiliate links or a "buy this now and you’ll be amazing" content paid for by a sponsor.

This is all me. Fully unfiltered. Trying to understand why we shop when we don’t feel whole.

I’m living the Retail Therapy dream, or something like that. I “grew up” as an old-school newspaper reporter and got paid (pennies) to ask questions. I won some awards and broke lots of stories, covering business and politics. Which means I know a little about a lot and am really good at asking questions that make people uncomfortable. My most recent bylines are in the Wall Street Journal.

Moving into corporate was interesting. The coffee was much better. Intentionally, I set out to not “do writing” and relied on my reporter instincts to develop new skills. Meaning I’ve worked in tech for the last…well let’s just say a long time.

🛍️So Why Retail Therapy?

I’m writing Retail Therapy because I’m tired of trying to follow the lists and rules I’ve been handed, albeit it usually poorly. I’m utterly confused about who I am, because I’ve been too damn busy trying to listen to everyone else. I’m sick of feeling bad about myself. No, I’m not the person I thought I’d become. My career didn’t turn out how I expected. Now what?

I’m over trying to do things the way others insist is right.

Here you can expect personal essays about the gap between the life we planned and the one we're actually living — and the time and money we throw at our angst along the way.

I’m telling the stories I want, not the ones approved by someone else. Take fashion — it obviously hates middle-age women. Why else would we have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?

All of it is blended together in a Vitamix that refuses to look clean. Seriously, what is it about that thing and its cloudy demeanor?

Free 7-day trial

Rest assured, Retail Therapy is fully unfiltered. You know, in a way we’d never drink water.

These are my views — never something I’m paid to push.

What to expect:

• As a subscriber, you’ll get a welcome email from me. Please respond! The world can be lonely, so I’d love to connect and hear from you. Tell me what you hope to get. What do you want?

• You’ll receive all posts in your Inbox. Often comments are open to everyone, so jump in and share you’re thoughts. They’re fun.

• Your engagement — comments, likes & shares — helps the publication grow and lets me know what you like, so I can do more.

I wish that all of the content on Retail Therapy could be free, but my bougie boy Radio, who some didn’t realize is a dog, still hasn’t gotten a job and I need to pay for his acupuncture.

Who doesn't love free?

You may notice Retail Therapy is a bit different. There aren’t product placements or affiliate links footing the bills.

Which means your paid subscription really matters!

I want to hear from you. You’re making this possible and I take your support to heart. Like me, Retail Therapy is a work in progress. Reach out and tell me what’s working and where I need to evolve. If you hate something, that’s ok. I’d much rather know. It also makes the world less lonely when we connect.

• Add your comments to any post.

• Share Retail Therapy.

• Reply directly to any email to get in touch.

Now what?

• Everything magically shows up in your Inbox & you get access to everything.

• Once you’re locked in, your price never goes up. Ever. Talk about Retail Therapy!

• Jump in and join the conversation: that’s the best part of being a paid subscriber. Engaging on everything, laughing and learning, together.

Thank you for supporting Retail Therapy! You make this site possible and allow Radio to visit his Eastern Medicine Practitioner. (Radio is still a dog, to those who thought I wasn’t taking a kid to the doctor)

Cheers to spending our time and money well!

Rani Monson

🐊Feed the algorithm alligator! Help grow Retail Therapy by subscribing, sharing, 💓hearting — all the “ing” things. Eyes bring eyes, which means more Retail Therapy for all of us.

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