Last week, I had quite a few small moments of food-induced happiness. Trader Joe’s used to have a samosa burrito and then they didn’t carry it any more, and it’s back! I bought one and had it for lunch. Yum! Potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower with chutney and spices wrapped in a tortilla. It’s not health … Read more
For my final blog post of 2021—the year in review. It was a wild year, deeply creative, with a lot of output. This time last year, I’d just finished writing a book (first round writing, not editing and such), quit my job due to COVID concerns, and was going to see what I could do … Read more
Climbing Daddy, Tall Daddy, Rocket Kid, and I went out of town for Thanksgiving. (You can see some of the photos in Sunday’s post.) For Thanksgiving dinner, we had a 3:30 reservation for a buffet at a small-town restaurant not far from where we were staying. The hostess didn’t have us on the reservation list … Read more
My standard advocacy for change is small, sustainable pieces. My eating habits changed that way. My exercise habits changed that way. My financial habits changed that way. (I do think there are situations where this isn’t the best, but it applies more broadly than cold turkey, in my opinion and experience.) Bits that are so … Read more
The sunsets here recently have been fantastic. Colors that impress without filters. Last night, I decided to go up to South Mountain, a local municipal park with tons of hiking, to see if I could get some photos. (Largest municipal park in the country!) Climbing Daddy and Rocket Kid went hiking for real on a … Read more
I recently read a short piece about moving through life and healing, changing, growing as you go, and just because you’ve changed doesn’t mean others owe it to you to be part of your life again. This stirred up a variety of thoughts and emotions, primarily: I’m deeply sad about this from one perspective and … Read more
Have you ever grown any kind of squash or similar vining plant? My experience with them is: I throw seeds in the ground or the pot or the bed, and either nothing happens (“Did we plant something in this area? I thought we did…”) or it grows and takes over. Likewise, when a creative idea … Read more
What follows is an edited-down version of something I wrote in 2014, the last time I was in a deep depression. (Hey! It’s been seven years! That’s a big win!) It’s been sitting here in my drafts folder for years with a note to either edit or delete. Unsure as to whether I should share. … Read more
Questions that used to inform how I dressed: What meets dress code? Do I need to have keys on me the whole time? Am I going to spend any significant time outside? If yes, what’s the weather? Will I be riding a bike today? What has pockets? Will I be running or jumping? (read: Do … Read more
A blank page in front of me for writing, whether I’m writing by hand or typing, is rarely intimidating. There’s more in my head than I can get down on paper, and unless other things are hijacking my brain, writing comes easily. (And if there are other things hijacking my brain, writing about those often … Read more