A Special Kind of Influence

I’ve been feeling like my job as an educator has corralled me. Funny that it’s also the Year of the Fire Horse. I want my influence to be greater than trying to convince teens of all the amazing things in the world around them. Their brains, in so many ways, just aren’t ready yet. They’re... Continue Reading →

Finding Things–A Memory

Last week's post (you can read about it here), where I found an envelope of photos, made me think of a time I found a purse in my hometown. The Purse I was on a trip with my sister, her husband, and their children. We were in our hometown — the town my parents were... Continue Reading →

From My Collage Bins

I found the following quote cut up and taped together in one of my bins of collage materials that I’ve been curating for over three decades. A completed sentence ends with a small black dot, but that’s how epiphanies begin. A coffee bean. A tiny, good thing from the earth. But the best ones have... Continue Reading →

A New Year And a New Gesture

I burned past agendas and day planners in the fire pit in my backyard. On a social platform—don’t ask me which one because I don’t remember—I came across a woman who said something like, “There are things in your home you should get rid of, even if you don’t think your place is cluttered.” She... Continue Reading →

Looking forward in 2026

New Year, New Me?Nah. I like the current me quite a bit. I like the tenacity I’ve shown over the years of teaching and writing—lugging heavy boxes of books to book fairs, chatting with new readers and fans of our books. I like the openness I bring when welcoming new folks into our book world.... Continue Reading →

No Regrets!

Living a silly little life and mastering the art of enjoying the small things, I’ve reconstructed my life over many years, and now I find fun in almost everything. I try to say yes to as many opportunities as I can. But once in a while, I do have regrets. If I recall the lessons,... Continue Reading →

Packing Lists: Evidence of Change

Packing, Then and Now A friend recently asked for advice on packing for two weeks in northern Europe. Seems simple enough, right? Except... I’ve traveled so much that I have a Google file of packing lists — one for every possible travel scenario. Hotel overnight? Got it.Two months in Greece in the summer? Obviously.Two weeks... Continue Reading →

Let Me Explain

When I first started blogging, I had no idea what my focus would be. I read all the advice — endless lists of what I should do: find a niche, choose a category, define a purpose. Travel blog, wellness blog, creative blog — the suggestions blurred together. I didn’t know how that focus would find... Continue Reading →

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