I meant to write in my book—really, I did. But the funniest things popped up instead: cooking masaman curry and Mexican rice, Facetiming Paula, tackling progress notes, watching Klaus, and playing chess. Oh, and let’s not forget the ever-creeping stress of the holiday season. With just 17 days until Christmas, my biggest worry isn’t giftContinue reading “Reason for the Season”
Category Archives: Writings
Lost in Translation
I search for words I can’t grasp, like an early-onset dementia patient. Sometimes, sentences come at me like a salad without space, thrown in my face, and I stutter, saying, “sí, uh, sí, uh, sí.” It’s week two of studying conversational Spanish with Mercedes from Spain. Knowing how my Spanish-speaking self operates, I have aContinue reading “Lost in Translation”
The Woman Near Custer (Book Part 25)
Previous Stepping out of the Crazy Horse monument’s museum, the sauna-like heat blasts away the lingering chill from my skin. As I walk to my car, weaving through a parking lot filled with Harley-Davidsons, I glance to my right, soaking in the final moments with the mountain. Custer State Park is nearby, but paying theContinue reading “The Woman Near Custer (Book Part 25)”
Picasso Impersonator
Nobody willingly reaches for the Honest Company Pink Lemonade juice box from the beverage fridge. Its sad, boxy self collects dust on the bottom shelf like goths gravitating to black, while hands eagerly snatch grape, apple, and fruit punch. I’ve made it the only option to give the unpopular lemonade a fighting chance. Stacked eightContinue reading “Picasso Impersonator”
Protecting Your Peace
Belly breathing—or diaphragmatic breathing—calms the nervous system. A fact I was reminded of in an educational video. So here I am, filling my lower abdomen with air, releasing it gently, and repeating. Because on nights like this, when writing feels de-prioritized, and the space for it seems nonexistent, that panicky voice creeps in. The oneContinue reading “Protecting Your Peace”
Self-Sabotage’s Sinkhole
I am no master of mental health. The thought hits as loud as a gong as I tread barefoot—lightly but quickly—across the super-fluffy bath mat, searching for a towel. It’s in moments like these, alone and freshly showered, that I find myself at war with my own thoughts. This realization comes as a defense, anContinue reading “Self-Sabotage’s Sinkhole”
Cat-Like Reflexes
I read an article with a heartbeat. Its author made me feel the morning’s chill, cutting from image to image, pulling me into her world. She detailed hooking a finger into an overflowing trash bin, exiting her apartment, and meeting a neighbor for a moment of shared laughter at the bottom of the stairs. IContinue reading “Cat-Like Reflexes”
‘Round Here
Today was a nice, relaxing day, full of little moments that made me smile. I spent part of it planting basil, sage, and cilantro in my cute roll cart, labeling each spot with my trusty label maker. My green thumb is still a work in progress, but remembering what I planted and where has neverContinue reading “‘Round Here”
A Side of Lazy
That 55-minute phone call really lit a fire under me. A five-minute per language in Spanish and English, with a woman from near Córdoba, Spain, pushed me far outside my comfort zone into a space of frustration and desire. The relief I felt when we switched to English was like coming home after a longContinue reading “A Side of Lazy”
Fumbling Forward
How in the heck did I forget to hit that publish button last night? I’m sorry about that! I wrote yesterday’s post on the drive home from Thanksgiving, feeling all proud of myself for finishing early. But my quality control team—also known as Dave—dropped the ball. I really wish I could just sit down andContinue reading “Fumbling Forward”
Going On 40 