What can I do to make my home safer now that I am a family man? I used to resort to window bars and double locks to shore up my condo unit but I need to do better than rudimentary security gadgets to alleviate my intensified fears.

I learned early in life how to get by as a smaller person. When I studied self defense while in college, I discovered fighting moves for which being 5’3″ actually gives me the edge.

Many lose their boyfriend to a breakup, I lost mine to a stickup. He took a bullet for a lady who was ordered to freeze but ran in panic. I was there when it happened. After we buried him, I holed up and learned how to buy and use self defense weapons.

Around 3 a.m. one morning, I was woken by a sound coming from the roof. It was as if someone was walking around up there. I quickly jumped from the mattress and peered out the window, but there was nothing.