Ah, Starbucks… the land of ridiculously complicated drinks, nonsensical portion sizes, and cafeteria food at Michelin Star prices. Despite my disdain for the company’s obvious success with capitalism where a cup of coffee sells for a small fortune, I have found myself at the driv … | Continue reading
Let’s take a deep dive into the realm of tourist attractions. And we’re not talking roller coasters or the teacup ride. This rant is centered around an animal encounter at the Mason Elephant Park & Lodge in Bali. Ostensibly, Mason Elephant Park & Lodge is an elephant conservation … | Continue reading
To quote the words of the great Kat Stratford from the hit movie 10 Things I Hate About You, “I guess in this society, being male and an asshole makes you worthy of our time.” This is true today, back in 1999, and even in 1882. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this suggestion […] | Continue reading
We live in a golden age. Sure, there are still people who die every day from hunger, despite there being enough food in the world to feed everyone. Okay, yeah there always seems to be war breaking out. Russia, we’re looking at you. You’re right, political corruption seems to be a … | Continue reading
I don’t know about the rest of you, but this sounds like a bad idea if you ask me. A working LeMarchand Lament Configuration? No thanks. I’ve seen how this ends, and let’s just say… it’s not good. I get that Facebook, Target, Walmart, and all of the others are tracking our every … | Continue reading
Let’s talk about makeovers in movies – the ones where a girl’s entire self-worth is determined by how she looks to a man? Yeah, those. It’s like watching a horror movie, but instead of a chainsaw-wielding maniac, it’s just a basic dude with a fragile ego. What brought this to min … | Continue reading
Once upon a time, there was an introvert named Wendy (Keep in mind, this is a made-up name for someone I don’t know… a fictitious person in fact. Yes, a fictitious person. This is in no way about me. I was not involved in this story. Nope. Wasn’t me.) who needed to go grocery sho … | Continue reading
Today’s rant is brought to you by a story I saw recently on HuffPost, and as you read along, you’ll probably think to yourself – much like I did, “why do the crazy news stories always come from Florida?” I don’t have an answer to that. Maybe the heat? The alligators? But what I c … | Continue reading
Have you heard of a business where people are paid to come up with baby names? Yeah, you read that right. Trust me, it’s a real thing. Apparently, there are individuals out there who have the audacity are savvy enough to charge parents thousands of dollars to come up with a name … | Continue reading
Eat better, the doctors say. Strive for a healthier lifestyle, the self-improvement articles say. Add more fruit and veggies to lower your cholesterol and extend your life – such as it is. Yeah, right. You can’t trust fruit and vegetables. Take apples, for example. They may look … | Continue reading
Have you heard about Nakano Takeko? She was one of the last samurai who formed an all-female battalion to defend her shogun during the Boshin War. Yeah, this woman was a freakin’ badass. She even took a bullet to the chest and then had her sister behead her so that the enemy cou … | Continue reading
I just made myself some fried cabbage. Yep. At 10:00. At night. Fried cabbage at this hour is like playing a rigged game of Russian roulette with your digestive system. It’s not a matter of if, but when the rumbling and gurgling will start. So forget about enjoying that delicious … | Continue reading
Daily Writing Prompt: Describe something you learned in high school. The joy of group projects … it really was perfect practice for the real-world workforce. One person does all the work and everyone else takes the credit. , | Continue reading
I have a literal pet peeve that I just have to share, mainly because it confuses the hell out of me more than it annoys me. Actually, no, that’s not true. It annoys me a lot. Obligatory disclaimer: I love my cats. They’re my furry children…okay…well not quite… but they ARE my fuz … | Continue reading
Ah, staff meetings. The bane of every introvert’s existence. There’s nothing quite like being stuck in a room with a bunch of extroverted folks you barely know, all vying for the spotlight. I’ve had my fair share of staff meetings, and let me tell you, they’re not my favorite thi … | Continue reading
To all my friends, Happy Easter and Happy Passover! I hope the holiday, however you spend it, brings you peace and the love of good friends and family. As for me, I think I’ve zoomed past the sugar rush and am headed for a candied crash. Let’s hope the marshmallow Peeps soften my … | Continue reading
I don’t know why in the world Facebook’s algorithm thinks I can afford a pair of $275 shoes… or that I would pay $275 for a pair of shoes even if I could. But here’s an ad I received in my newsfeed recently. The concept of “distressed” shoes selling for an outrageous price of $27 … | Continue reading
Okay, so I know this happened a while ago, but do you remember this past Super Bowl™? More importantly, do you remember that Jesus commercial that aired? When it first came on, it was quite moving and it had me from the jump, wondering which company’s ad this would be. I thought, … | Continue reading
Today I want to talk about a topic that gets me angrier than your grandmother when the mailman is running late: gatekeeping hobbies. I know I’ve talked about this before, but gatekeepers annoy the hell out of me, and since I was thinking about it, I thought you should too. This i … | Continue reading
Impossibly Cheerful Motivational Speaker at Work Event: *exhausting rehearsed speech that includes convoluted – and obviously soul-sucking – instructions on a team-building role-play exercise and ending with an overly enthusiastic – if not overused – inspirational quote* Me: Okay … | Continue reading
This article came up in my news feed quite a while back and I just sort of squirreled it away for a rainy day. Today is that day. Apparently, mega-movie director Quentin Tarantino said that Marvel actors aren’t really movie stars. I know Tarantino is an icon and I’m just a mere … | Continue reading
I would like to impart some wisdom to you, dear readers, for a life well lived. Oh, I’m a life coach now, didn’t you know? It’s a career that suits me, I think. Hey, don’t roll your eyes at me! I’m a freakin’ life coach, have some respect! When having a stressful day, you should … | Continue reading
Write an autobiography they said… it will bring you happiness, they said. The hard work will be worth it, they said. I don’t know why everyone thinks it’s such a difficult undertaking. Mine took about 60 seconds with time left over for a snack. They were right about one thing, t … | Continue reading
Today, I want to talk about something that all parents are well aware of. If you’re not a parent yet, or you are but your kids are not school-aged yet, I want to share some important information with you. When you help your kids with their homework, you are going to look and feel … | Continue reading
I know it’s been a while. But for those of you still with me, I’m back, baby! For the past couple of months, I’ve been dealing with a medical issue that has had a bigger impact on my life than I expected. But I’ve had some good news in the past couple of days and […] | Continue reading
This is how I will ultimately meet my end… by petting something I probably shouldn’t. | Continue reading
Oh, who am I kidding? New Year, Same Me, because I’m already… | Continue reading
A new year means a new chapter. I hope 2023 is an incredible part of your story. May it be filled with adventures and good fortune. | Continue reading
With the New Year almost here, I’m working on my budget for the coming months and beyond. Puzzling out how to rob Peter to pay Paul is always an interesting exercise in financial gymnastics. I know I’ve mentioned this before but trust me when I say that I have definite plans alre … | Continue reading
Christmas is almost here. Bah humbug. My kids are grown and I find that the holiday just isn’t the same as when they were little. Back then, I would deck out the tree, decorate the entire house, and enjoy the sounds of laughter and excitement as the jolly old fat man’s arrival gr … | Continue reading
Everyone has their own unique take on art. Author E.A. Bucchianeri wrote, “Art is in the eye of the beholder, and everyone will have their own interpretation.” But where is graffiti’s place in the art world? Graffiti has its origins in 1970s New York, when young people began to … | Continue reading
Every generation has its own slang terms that generally confuse the older generations that came before them. For instance, kids today are saying things like “bussin” when something is really good. Usually, it’s in reference to food, or so I’m told, but it could be anything. Or pe … | Continue reading
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this, but, back in July, I had a health scare that put me in the hospital. The doctors assured me that the issue was resolved and life could continue with nary a worry on the horizon. Well, as so often happens, they were wrong. My recent radio silenc … | Continue reading
If you’re thinking this is some sort of DIY article on how to enjoy the holidays, you should read the title again. “Pre-Approved Traditions?” What does that even mean? Well, it’s my takeaway from reading this article from Martha Stewart’s magazine and frankly, it’s a little pathe … | Continue reading
It’s that time of year again, folks! Time for me to share my favorite movie scene, one that embodies the Thanksgiving Day spirit… or at least the spirit that dwells in my house. So while I wish you all a truly blessed and happy Thanksgiving, without further adieu, may I introduc … | Continue reading
Solar energy? Pffft. I could run all the tech in my house for the next 20 years on this past week at work alone. . | Continue reading
This is weird, right? I can’t imagine that this is a good thing. I mean, are sushi chefs everywhere counting Flamin’ Hot Cheetos as their number one go-to ingredient for the absolute best, most delicious sushi? Now, I don’t eat sushi… but I’m guessing this dish wouldn’t be found … | Continue reading
Anyone who knows me is aware that I am an introvert. I make no bones about it. Don’t get me wrong, I still do what I have to do when I have to do it, but generally speaking, I value my private time and my personal space. So naturally, when I have to fly, these […] | Continue reading
Ah, it’s almost Halloween. One of the best times of the year. Well, it’s one of my favorites at least, but I can’t help but feel that the overall experience has been a little lackluster for the better part of the past decade or so. Now, I’m generally not one to wistfully yearn fo … | Continue reading
I really don’t think there is a generation alive that hasn’t grown up with Disney in some way, shape or form. If I remember correctly, one of the first Disney cartoons to ever come out was back in the 20s and starred Oswald the rabbit instead of Mickey Mouse. Then in the 30s, a l … | Continue reading
Has this ever happened to you? It’s a nice, crisp, fall weekend evening after a long, hard week of work and you’re ready to cuddle up with some cider, a blanket, and a spooky movie – as one does this time of year – when all of a sudden, boom! All hell is unleashed on […] | Continue reading
You ever just driving down the road going some place you’ve never been before and you have to turn down the radio so you can see better? No? Just me then. . | Continue reading
I know I’ve been a bit quieter than usual here lately. No excuses really, just life getting in the way. But I figure you’ve had enough downtime from my tirades, so I’m determined to get back into the game on a more regular basis. Lucky you. Today felt like kind of a rant-y day, s … | Continue reading
When you ask someone what they do for fun, what are some of the typical answers you receive? If someone were to ask me that very question, I’d say that I enjoy reading books, watching movies, kicking back with some wine, and maybe even taking a nice little quiet vacation to a sec … | Continue reading
Since 2022 is about 75% over, I figured it was time to start making progress on my New Years’ resolutions! My first one was to cut down on my alcohol intake, but have you seen what’s happening in the world on any given day? Yikes! Yeah, that one got thrown to the wayside almost i … | Continue reading
I have found my peeps. My crew. My squad. My inner circle. | Continue reading
I hate to say I told you so, but, well, you know… I told you so. I don’t have a photo to back up my story, but I swear to you, it’s true. My local store has Christmas trees for sale. The fake variety. I mean, it’s not like they have real pine trees standing […] | Continue reading
In the waning days of August, as summer inched closer to its end yet still had plenty of bite to put sweat on the forehead at the height of the afternoon, I was in a local store to grab a few items and, lo and behold, I saw Halloween decorations staring back at me. Really!? In Au … | Continue reading