This is my brain on life — Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words — watch out for them words This past weekend, I wrote a term paper. Twenty-one pages at its roughest draft and, eventually, I whittled it down to eighteen. …

I’m you, 43 years later. Yeah, I look old. Get used to it. — Oh, if we only could re-live the turning points and turn the other way. Where might we be today? Happier? Richer? Child-free? Doting grandparents to seven grandkids? Where might we be now? I have no complaints and no regrets. I love my life. I’m happily married and financially comfortable. Three…

Because a new year is a terrible thing to waste — Should people get a one-time asshole pass? By people, I mean me. My mood was inexplicably sour this morning as I walked up to the checkout line at the market to buy my lunch. The newly risen sun blasted my eyes through the high window of the store. I could…

Stories to open your eyes, your mind, your heart, your soul — I have no idea how we got here And yet, here we are. December 21. The winter solstice. The shortest day of the year. The longest night of the year. And what a year. Make of that what you will. For me, 2022 meant 85 new stories from my computer to yours, but that’s not why I’m here…

The most self-serving article you’ll read this year — And the Barbie goes to… Many of us enjoy awards shows. Nothing goes better with a big bowl of popcorn than Grammys, Emmys, or Oscars. If you’re like me, you might dream it’s you walking up onto the stage to accept that gilded trophy. There I am in my designer gown. Painfully self-conscious, like a…

You don’t always get what you ask for, but maybe that’s okay — Well, color me intrigued. Is DALL-E the Future of Digital Art? Unique Images and New Worlds of Possibilities Dall-E 2 For Writers and Content Creatorsmedium.com This, from the Celtic Chameleon a few days ago, got me thinking about the glorious, whimsical, or oddball creatures doing strange things in strange places at night in my dreams. So often, I wake up wishing I could press “record” on my magnificent nocturnal creations. …

It’s not my mom’s recipe, but it could have been — I’ve wanted to make a cheesecake all my life. Well, now, I can cross that off my imaginary bucket list. Versatile, tangy, farmer cheese Farmer cheese was a constant in my life growing up, a staple in our home. My mom used it to make savory pierogi and sweet blintzes, which we called nalesniki…

I avoided my difficult parents for years so I guess I really am a mouse. Or a turtle. — Recently, I took a quiz on my conflict resolution style as part of a course at Colorado State University (CU) Denver where I’m working on my Master’s in Public Administration. I’ve met myself, so I wasn’t surprised to find myself landing sqaure in the “avoidant” category. According to an article…

What if every letter of your first name were a song? — I’m sure I’m not the only one whose life has a soundtrack. Mine is usually rock or pop or alternative with sometimes a little country or Latin or jazz or classical tossed in. Wherever I go, whatever I do, music is my constant companion. …