Storytelling. Fact and fiction. One word at a time.
One of the staple rules of my class is that students are expected to leave their phones on the table near the door. I introduce this rule at the beginning of the year. In the fall, a lot of kids groan about it, buck against it. But rules are rules, and with a little nagging... Continue Reading →
On my way to Edmonton for the Oilers–Bruins hockey game, my friend Ashlee sent me a message wishing me a safe trip. She included a screenshot of a conversation she’d had with a colleague on their work chat platform. Colleague: Good morning, Ashlee. Are you the Ashlee Ballan that Angie Counios acknowledged in her book... Continue Reading →
I’m not a fan of shopping or buying much, but what I have bought into is Christmas. It took some time, but I did it. I love Christmas. I fell in love by the spoken law of a beautiful older Greek woman. You can read about it here. And over the years that I have... Continue Reading →
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 →
Fan mail that is... Paranoid about spam, I clicked on an email I didn’t recognize. The name was Ali. I do not know an Ali. Turns out it was not spam at all. It was a forward from my WordPress contact page. And it was fan mail! I got FAN MAIL. Here’s what she said:... Continue Reading →
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 →
I have readers overseas. My cousin is one of them. She got a copy of My List, My Rules last year (tap the title to check it out), and this year while I was visiting, we chatted about it. She loved it—I’m glad. But she also asked a very interesting question that no one else... Continue Reading →
I was leaving school. It had been a long day. There was a lot of cleanup and correcting to do in the art studio at this old school. The burden of my backpack reminded me I still had work to finish. I pushed open the door, having spent the entire day inside. A warm breeze... Continue Reading →
I have a peony bush in my backyard with about fifteen giant, soft-pink blooms. Every morning on my way to the car, I stop to sniff them—because really, isn’t that the best way to start the day? It's the small things in life One morning, I leaned in toward the biggest blossom. Peonies aren’t just... Continue Reading →
What Prompted This Post? The prompt: I was at a party Saturday night when one of my new friends mentioned that she had added My List, My Rules to her 2026 reading list. She explained that she just had too many books to get through first. That’s fair, and I genuinely appreciate that she’s interested... Continue Reading →
Angie Counios 