Sometimes my brain refuses to focus on anything remotely productive. There are bills to pay, errands to run, and at least three emails I’ve been meaning to answer since 2022. But instead of doing any of that, my brain decides today’s the day to spiral into a mental rabbit hole of … | Continue reading
or, my attempt at being a decent human. I’m not out here changing the world. I don’t even recycle as consistently as I should. I just try to do the right thing. I show up when I say I will (mostly). Unless there are people. Or talking. Or weather. But if you need me, I’m […] | Continue reading
Describe yourself again? Didn’t we just do this writing prompt a couple of days ago? At this point, I should be getting paid for the emotional labor. I mean, even my therapist doesn’t dig this deep. How to Describe Yourself to Someone – there you go, done and dusted. I already st … | Continue reading
Stardate 20250728 – Time: Somewhere Between “Too Early” and “Please, Stop” Was today a typical day, you ask? Well, I’m not sure why you care… I don’t live the most exciting life. It’s not like I work at Astronomer. But yeah, I guess you could say it was. I started the day with wo … | Continue reading
The writing prompt today is, “how would you describe yourself to someone?” Uh… I don’t know. Like, how much time you got? Because I’m usually pretty good at avoiding questions like that and I wasn’t exactly ready to get cornered with it here. How deep are we going? Rabbit hole de … | Continue reading
People ask me how I stay healthy. Okay fine, no one has actually asked me that, but I like to be prepared in case it ever happens at a doctor’s office or unexpectedly during a commercial for yogurt. Here’s my routine. It’s intense. Don’t feel bad if you can’t keep up. First, I hy … | Continue reading
Ah yes. Summer travel plans. I’ve got big ones. I’m going from the living room… to the kitchen. It’s going to be a journey. I might pack snacks. For the walk. Because if I get there and forget why I came in, at least I’ll have a granola bar while I stare at the toaster […] | Continue reading
Okay, so it’s kind of obvious the world’s a hot mess right now. Half the planet is doomscrolling themselves into a state of paralysis, the other half is arguing with strangers about whether AI is here to help or harvest our organs, and the rest of us? We’re just out here trying t … | Continue reading
They asked, “What do you listen to while you work?” And I said: Mostly? People complaining. From my desk, I get a front-row seat to the hit Broadway show called “Who Screwed This Up?” Now playing, every day. Every. Single. Day. Act I: Marketing wails, “Won’t someone think of the … | Continue reading
I swear, every other writing prompt on WordPress lately is about food. People are out here writing love letters to sourdough starters and delivering TED Talks on grilled cheese that could probably solve world peace. And honestly? I’m here for it. Food is the only stable relations … | Continue reading
There’s a new Uno game in Las Vegas, and I need someone to explain how that even works. Are there high-stakes draw fours? Do you get escorted out by security if you try to stack skips or count reverse cards? If you’ve never considered what it would be like to play Uno in Las Vega … | Continue reading
I’ve decided I need to move somewhere that gets food the way I do. Not just likes food. I mean, really appreciates it. With the kind of reverence usually reserved for national monuments or Taylor Swift ticket sales. Italy comes to mind. Or maybe Thailand. Or New Orleans, which mi … | Continue reading
Today’s debate: dogs or cats. Look, I’m an equal-opportunity animal lover. I’ve had both in my life, and while I only have cats right now, I’ll be honest – it’s not by choice. That’s because I have a landlord. If I had more space and fewer rules, I’d have a dog, a cat, a horse, [ … | Continue reading
The writing prompt today asks the question, “which activities make you lose track of time?” And I answer, well, technically… all of them. I’m what scientists refer to as “easily distractible” and what my family lovingly refers to as “a bit of a mess.” I don’t so much lose track o … | Continue reading
I’m not saying I’m curmudgeonly or high-maintenance. You might be saying that. My ex definitely said it. But not me. I just notice things. Little things. Petty things. Things that shouldn’t matter but somehow become the unraveling thread on the already-questionable sweater of my … | Continue reading
Some people have deep, philosophical truths they carry with them through life. Me? I have observations. Patterns. Laws of the universe so consistent, I’m convinced they’re in a handbook somewhere, probably titled: “Earth Rules: Petty Edition. I’ve never scaled a mountain to find … | Continue reading
Today’s writing prompt is, “do you want security or adventure?” What if I say… yes. Let’s be honest. I’m not asking to be a billionaire with a private jet and a pet tiger named Sparkle. (Although, if that’s on the table, I will absolutely take it. Sparkle would have a tiny crown, … | Continue reading
If I could host a dinner party and anyone I invite is guaranteed to come – like, even if they’re dead or wildly famous or maybe just fictional – then oh yes, I am absolutely abusing this power. This wouldn’t be a serious, soul-searching dinner party where people talk about world … | Continue reading
Today’s writing prompt is all about sleep schedules. So, what time do I go to bed and wake up, you ask? Ah. Ha. Ha. Adorable question. Love the optimism. Bless your heart. Technically, I “go to bed” around 3 a.m. That is, if you define “go to bed” as lying horizontal in a state o … | Continue reading
I know I said that my love language is snacks. But it’s also comfort. I have two love languages. That’s right, I’m bilingual. You know how some people wake up, make their bed, do yoga, drink a kale smoothie, and say things like “I just feel so aligned today”? Yeah, no. That’s not … | Continue reading
So last time, I wrote about what worries me about the future. You know, the fun stuff. Like late-stage capitalism and my inevitable descent into eccentric cat lady bog witch status. But this time? We’re talking about the good stuff. What I am most excited about for the future. Wh … | Continue reading
There comes a time in every adult’s life when you realize that peace – real, honest-to-God, not-having-an-ulcer peace – is more important than being right. Or comfortable. Or even warm enough. This post is about that time. And that time is… every damn day. For example, I no longe … | Continue reading
Wishing everyone a Happy Fourth of July – or at least a tolerable one. It’s a bit awkward to celebrate liberty while watching it pack its bags and quietly (or not so quietly) slip out the back door. But hey, fireworks, right? So today, light a sparkler, raise a questionable hot d … | Continue reading
Today’s writing prompt is “On what subject(s) are you an authority?” which is hilarious because I’m not sure I’ve ever been the authority on anything, unless you count overthinking social interactions from 2001. Now, I know a lot about a lot of things. But being an authority impl … | Continue reading
Let’s just say my definition of romantic has… evolved. There was a time I thought “romance” meant flowers. Candlelight. Handwritten poetry, even. Although in all fairness, I was 19, everything smelled like Bath & Body Works, and I thought quoting When Harry Met Sally counted as e … | Continue reading
So. Showing gratitude. If you really want to know, it’s like asking how I manage to put my bra on backwards three times before getting it right. There is a system, but it makes no damn sense to anyone watching. You asked. You wanted to know. Happy now? First off, let’s talk about … | Continue reading
Oh, what am I worried about for the future? *gestures wildly at everything like a flight attendant demonstrating exits on a burning plane* Where do I start? I’m a woman in America, which these days is like being a canary in a coal mine except the coal mine is on fire, and the can … | Continue reading
Today’s daily writing prompt is “What makes a teacher great?” I can answer this one! You know what makes a teacher great? Surviving. I mean it — just showing up every day and not yeeting themselves into the sun after first-period attendance. Because if I had to wrangle 25 kids wh … | Continue reading
Every morning, I wake up with the confidence of a woman who definitely did not inhale a sleeve of Oreos in bed at 1 a.m. while watching true crime documentaries and yelling “You crayon-eating backwoods mouth breather” at the murderer (not the victim — I’m not that unhinged). I’d … | Continue reading
I know this is supposed to be a prompt about the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten, but that’s like asking me to pick my favorite child, except way harder because food never talked back or left dishes in the sink. Now, if you’ve spent more than five minutes with me (or read, l … | Continue reading
I’m Gen X. I know all about old. I mean, I can throw my back out just getting out of bed. You know what else is getting old? (Nice segue, right? I’m good like that.) Gen X pretending we had nothing to do with how Millennials and Gen Z turned out. I see it all […] | Continue reading
So last night, I cozied up with No One Lives – a gore-soaked horror rollercoaster featuring Luke Evans doing unspeakable things with a calm expression that says, “I kill people, but I recycle.” It was at least the tenth time I’ve watched it. Not sorry. The blood, the chaos, the w … | Continue reading
… and most of them are frozen, unresponsive, and playing music I can’t find. You know that feeling when someone says, ‘Just relax!’ like it’s never occurred to you before – and your body reacts like your boss just said, ‘Got a sec? We need to talk.’ Yeah, same. I mean, I would lo … | Continue reading
When I saw today’s daily prompt: “Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?,” I nearly kissed my phone. Finally, a writing prompt that understands me. I mean, have you met me? Half my blog posts could be classified as long, loving odes to snacks. If ther … | Continue reading
Listen, it’s not like I’ve got hours of leisure just lying around, begging to be squandered. I mean, I wish. But, I do work, believe it or not. (I know! Shocking!) But what time I do have to waste? Oh, honey, it is wasted well, believe you me. One minute I’m thinking “I’ve got ti … | Continue reading
As a card-carrying member of Gen X, I never thought I’d live long enough to start a rant with “Why are you like this?” and mean it sincerely. But here we are. Because apparently, it’s now standard procedure to post photographic evidence that you’ve just shagged someone who may or … | Continue reading
Now I know I’m supposed to say something profound. Something that sounds like I’m halfway through a Hallmark movie and just realized the true meaning of life. Like the day my children were born or my wedding day (blech, no thanks – that one I’m trying to forget) or that time I vi … | Continue reading
You know who doesn’t get enough space in history books? Teenage girls with guns. Not in the typical “Florida stand-off over a stolen lawn chair” way, but in a righteous, Nazi-executing, resistance-fighting way. Let me introduce you to Freddie Oversteegen, her big sister Truus, an … | Continue reading
I received yet another plea from my credit card company to sign up for Costco. And to seal the deal, they’re offering a deep discount if I commit for two years. Two years. I can’t even decide what I want for dinner tonight, but sure, let me go ahead and make a decision that impac … | Continue reading
Let me start by saying: I am a delight. No, really. Just ask my cat. He yells when I leave the room, and not just because I’m the food lady. I mean, yes, that’s part of it, but also? I sing him little songs about his toe beans. He’s clearly obsessed with me. (I get […] | Continue reading
Oh, how do I want to retire? Glad you asked. Because I absolutely plan to retire – somewhere around one hour before my funeral. Probably, the eulogy will be interrupted by a work email asking why I didn’t update the donor spreadsheet. “Sorry, Cheryl, I was busy being dead.” Truth … | Continue reading
You know that saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going?” Yeah. No. Sometimes the going gets tough and the rest of us just do our best to keep breathing, keep showing up, and keep reminding ourselves that we don’t look good in orange. We don’t all need to be tough. … | Continue reading
So I’m sitting on the couch, in my best stretchy pants – you know, the ones that don’t say “I’m done trying for the day” so much as “I want to be comfortable while I down that bag of chips” – and I’m contemplating today’s daily writing prompt: if people had taglines. I keep envis … | Continue reading
These daily prompts WordPress has going on are all over the place. Like my brain in a Target aisle, distracted by shiny things, snacks, and a throw pillow I definitely don’t need. But hey, I’m doing my best to keep up. Seriously, though – every day, I check the prompt, and it’s n … | Continue reading
. Oh boy. I don’t really read books for impact. I read books for escape, for entertainment, and occasionally for the satisfaction of finishing something that doesn’t involve laundry or a spreadsheet. Life is just too short to trudge through a book that feels more like work than j … | Continue reading
Right, so, I’m supposed to talk about a fear I’ve overcome. Easy Peasy. Public speaking? Nope. Flying? Nah. Spiders? Still no. I mean, I’m talking about fears I’ve conquered. Spoiler: It’s escalators. Yep. Escalators. Those moving stairs sent by Satan. The really badass Satan. Th … | Continue reading
Look, I’m not proud of this. But also? I am absolutely proud of this. One simple thing I do that brings me an utterly disproportionate amount of joy is… eating snacks in my car like some kind of troll who’s been banished from society for being “too food motivated.” You know how s … | Continue reading
I promised. I promised you. I promised myself. I promised the gods that be. I wouldn’t go back. I swore it. And yet somehow. I found myself back at the diner again this past week. Not on purpose, obviously. I just happened to be in the mood for gravy, biscuits, and drama served w … | Continue reading